Turning My World Upside Down
by DamnDraco
Summary: There's more to people than it meets the eye. Ginny Weasley is about to know that first hand, specially regarding a certain blonde Slytherin. As their lives intertwine, the world she knows slowly turns upside down.
1. Chapter 1

_Dec 2nd_

From the corner of my eye I see Gregory Goyle getting ready to hit a bludger my way, but I'm too quick for him. I quickly duck and speed up to fly right below Demelza. She would know I'm there without looking, we've practiced this trick before. And just as I predicted, she dropped the quaffle exactly when I am in level with her.

Without wasting a moment, I speed up and off towards the Slytherin goal post. Nothing wavers my concentration, nothing can. My peripheral vision is excellent and there is no way the Slytherin beaters can stop my flight. I see the Slytherin keeper take his position, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. My lips break into a feral smile.

There is only 20 ft separating me from scoringl. 20 ft and a very panicked goalkeeper. I look him straight in the eye, lift the quaffle and pretend to aim for the left, but shoot right.

"And Ginny Weasley scores again!" Luna's dreamy voice floats over the roar of the Gryffindor crowd. I'm laughing now. That is my 5th goal of the match. Damn, am I in good form or what?

I fly back to my original position, highfiving Katie and Demelza on the way. The game plan is to start playing defensive once we've acquired enough points and wait for Harry to catch the snitch. Not very original, but he insisted on it, so we practiced that way. I peek at the scoreboard. Slytherin 60 points, Gryffindor 90.

"C'mon Harry, catch the damn snitch." I mutter under my breath.

"Looks like Draco Malfoy has caught sight of the snitch, and is already speeding towards. Harry Potter is not far off behind. Will Malfoy's Firebolt Pro give him tactical advantage over Potter? We're about to find out." Luna's commentary has become much more efficient over the past year, not the loony drabble it used to be. Though I admit, it had been quite entertaining, if a bit distracting.

Madam Hooch's whistle blows throughout the whole stadium.

"HARRY POTTER CAUGHT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS!"

I scream and cheer so loud I know my throat will ache later, but I don't care. We've won the match! We face Ravenclaw in the finals! The cup might as well have our name on it! Right after I land I'm engulfed into a hug so tight I almost suffocate.

"You were amazing today, Ginny! Fred and George would've been so proud!" Ron practically crushes my ribs with his bear hug. "Oh Merlin Ron, if you don't let me go I wont live to play another match!" I say, laughing and returning his hug.

Next comes Katie and Demelza. We squeal like the girls we are and hug each other, jumping up and down. "Way to go girlie, you were a wildcat up there!" says Demelza.

"Couldn't have done it without you guys and you know it." I say, and it's true. Without her and Katie, I wouldn't have gotten the excellent passes today.

We form a circle and start to jump, screaming our heads off. I actually see Ron's spit flying around and hitting Jimmy Peaks on the cheek. My brother is so gross, but I don't care, because he was brilliant at keeping! Madam Hooch and Professor McGonagall's warnings about banning us from the next match finally makes us break apart.

"Back to the changing rooms everyone! Don't forget though, party at Gryffindor Tower later!" I hear Harry scream from somewhere behind me.

I feel a tap on my shoulder and thinking it's Harry, I turn enthusiastically to hug him when I come to an abrupt stop midway. My breath stills, and I have to force my mouth not to fall open. It's not green eyes and black hair I'm looking at. I'm so close to him, I can smell the mix of sweat and expensive cologne. Immediately, I take two steps back.

Clearing his throat, he says, "That was quite a performance, Weasley."

I'm pretty sure he could hear the thundering of my heart, it was beating that fast. Oh, that silky smooth voice, with the slight drawl. How I used to fantasize about that voice. But wait, why was he talking to me? I look behind him to see his team mates grouped up and looking at us. Blaise Zabini actually has the gall to wink at me. Is this a plan to humiliate the star player of the match or something?

I look back at him, noticing the icy grayness of his eyes, and feel the familiar tingling in my stomach. How I hate that feeling. Even after a year, it's still the same damn reaction. There is a reason I haven't even looked at his direction since my 6th year started. I had looked more than enough in my 5th year. I had done more than just looking. Fat load of good it had done to me. Thinking about that pathetic year never fails to mortify me, and even now I fought not to blush.

"Thanks." I say with a shrug, and jog back to the changing room. It takes every ounce of will-power and self-respect I have in me to not run back and ask him what made him talk to me. It took all that and even more to not spear my fingers through his platinum blonde hair. It took everything I have in me to not grab his jersey and smash my lips to his.

I feel relief to see that Katie and Demelza are already in the shower when I enter the girl's changing room. At the messed up state I am in right now, they would know something happened and start asking questions. Demelza is one of my closest friends, she knosw that I used to be obsessed with him. Hell, probably the whole school knows. Problem is, they also know I am over him, which I'm not. Not even close. But hell will freeze over before I let them get that.

As I get out of the dirty jersey and shorts and step under the hot shower, I cant help but bang my fist against the tilled wall.

"Damn you, Draco Malfoy. Fucking damn you." I whisper.

* * *

><p><em>Dec 3rd [ 7.45 am ]<em>

Someone is insistently shaking my shoulder, saying my name and trying to wake me up. That just makes me cuddle with my blanket and rub my face against the pillow.

"Ginny, wake up already!" I recognize the voice. It's Hermione. Why am I not surprised?

"Gimmeh a break He'mione. I was sloshed last night." I mumble in my sleepy state.

"I would, but Dumbledore has called a prefect's meeting in his office and you obviously don't want to miss that." she says in that haughty voice of her's. If it had been someone else, the tone would've pissed me off. But I love Hermione too much to let her bossiness bother me. It kinda reminds me of my mum, to be honest. Ron would have a fit if he ever knew that.

Suddenly, I feel the blanket being ripped off me. I bolt up from the bed with a curse.

"Alright alright woman, don't get your panties in a twist. I'm up." I say with a groan.

Last night's party had been one hell of a celebration. Somehow, Seamus managed to smuggle a carton of Firewhiskey from Hogsmeade and almost everyone got trashed. The exceptions being Hermione, Harry and Ron ofcourse. The latter two were bullied into calling it an early night by Hermione. Good thing Ron hadn't been there or else he would've gone berserk. In my frustration over Draco, I gave Dean a hickey and almost sucked his lips raw. Not that he minded, but still.

I look over at the occupants of the other three beds. Demelza, Romilda Vane and Orla Quirke had all gone wild yesterday night, but I envy how peacefully they could sleep the hangover out while I have one cranky Head Girl after my sanity.

"Lucky bitches." I mutter as I make my way towards the washroom.

"I heard that." Hermione's shout makes me chuckle, and I close the door to freshen up.

After I'm done putting my uniform on and brushing my hair, I come out to find Hermione perched on my bed with a glass bottle in her hand. Inside was a sickly green liquid.

"What's that?" I ask suspiciously.

"A hangover potion." replies Hermione.

I snort and say, "Looks filthy and disgusting."

She just rolls her eyes and thrusts the bottle into my hand. "Drink up, we're already late."

Knowing Hermione, we'll probably be 10 minutes earlier than the others, but I don't say that to her. I pinch my nose and take a gulp. Yep, the potion tastes filthy and disgusting as well. But instantly, the pounding in my head disappears.

Grinning at her, I give her a kiss on the forehead. "Do you know I love you, Hermione?"

"So you tell me, Ginny. So you tell me." she says, rolling her eyes but smiling slightly.

Arm in arm, we walk out of the dorm into the common room, where we see Neville fiddling over a piece of parchment. "Hey Neville, what's up?" I ask.

"Oh hey Ginny." he says. "Nothing nothing. It's just this potions homework I cant seem to figure out."

"Oh, Neville. I told you to study with me." Hermione says with an exasperated sigh. "Why don't you go to the library and try to do as much as you can? I'll come right over after I'm done with the prefect's meeting and help you out."

"Thanks Hermione. You're the best!" Neville says with a grin.

"No problem." Even though her voice remains steady, I see the colour rise in her cheeks. I cant blame her. Neville is easy on the eyes, but when he smiles, he becomes downright adorable. Too cute to resist.

We walk out of the portrait hole together and Neville says, "I forgot to congratulate you, Ginny. You were really good at yesterday's match, not that you don't know that already."

"Yes Ginny, you were unstoppable! I even heard McGonagall praise you, and you know she rarely praises Harry!" says Hermione.

I beam at both of them. They were good for my ego. I know I gave a fantastic performance yesterday, but it felt great to hear it from others.

"Thanks guys. Means a lot to me to hear you say that. " I reply back.

Neville heads off to the library after a while and I and Hermione keep walking. "So Ginny, I heard you got down and dirty with Dean last night."

I moan and cover my face with my hands. "Word sure travels fast." I mutter.

She laughs. "Seriously though, do you plan to get back with him or something?" she asks.

"Oh Merlin, no! No way! I mean, he is a good fling I guess. But that's what he is. Fling material. I'm not dumb enough to get into an actual relationship with him again." I say, shaking my head.

"Oh and, Draco Malfoy is relationship material?" asks Hermione tightly.

I stiffen up, but I keep walking. Fucking hell, what is happening recently? I actually accomplished to not think about Malfoy and pretend like he doesn't exist for 3 months, but suddenly I find myself in situations where I need to address him. Fate is probably pms-ing or something.

"I never said that." I say curtly.

"You sure thought as much." Hermione retorts back.

That does it. I burst.

"I admit I should've heeded your warnings when you told me that pursuing him was pointless, that I was making a fool out of myself. I was a fucking idiot for not listening to you, alright? I admit that. I don't see the point of rubbing it in now. I have no feelings for him anymore."

Hermione just smiles, slips her arm back into mine and we start walking. "Glad to know you're not harboring feelings for him anymore. I'm curious though, what made you give up? You were relentless in your pursuit for him."

I sigh. I really don't want to talk about it anymore. It still hurts to think about last year, what a stupid little girl I had been. It took the guy I love telling me that I'm not good enough for him to make me realize that…I really am not good enough. I've never even talked about it with Demelza. Everyone just assumed I got bored with the whole chasing and decided to stop. But I owe Hermione an explanation. She has always been there for me and if anyone deserves to know my private thoughts, it's her.

We were infront of the gargoyle now, which hid the staircase leading to Dumbledore's office. Hermione says the password and then looks at me expectantly, waiting for me to answer her question. As we step on the staircase and it starts to ascend, I look at her and shrug. "A year's worth of rejection, I guess."

As I expected, me and Hermione were the first ones to arrive. Professor Dumbledore was not there yet, so we decided to take a seat and wait.

"When is the meeting supposed to start, exactly?" I ask her.

"Around 8.30."

"Hermione!" I cry. "You woke me up more than half an hour earlier? That is just cruel."

"Oh shush, stop acting like diva. Being early never hurt anyone." she says with a shrug.

"And you said we were getting late!" I cross my arms grumpily. "Really Hermione, 20 minutes is not even considered…fashionably early! What are we supposed to do now anyway?"

"I don't know, talk? You're pretty good at that, you know." teases Hermione.

Now I roll my eyes. "Okay. We will talk. Tell me, when are you going to screw Ron's brains out and put him out of his misery?" Hah, take that. Let's see how you handle it, now that the tables have turned.

"Ssshh! Ginny! You cant possibly ask me that in here!" she says.

I just stare at her. "Why not? Dumbledore is probably sleeping at the moment and wont come out until all the prefects are here."

She looks pointedly at the walls.

"What, the walls have ears now? I never knew dating Ron would make you lose brain cells." I cant help but tease her. "Speaking of Ron, why isn't he here with us right now? Why am I the only one who was bullied into getting out of bed early?"

"I'm here."

Both us turn in our seats to see Ron enter the office. His hair looks messy, his tie is undone and his shirt isn't tucked in. It is obvious he barely got to brush his teeth properly and had to put on his uniform in haste. It makes me wonder what Dumbledore was thinking when he made him a prefect. The only reason Ron even takes his duties seriously is because of Hermione.

Speaking of Hermione, she looks horrified at his appearance and immediately starts to fuss over him.

"Okaaay, where is everybody? I thought the meeting started at 8 o clock and I'm late." says Ron.

Just then, Colin Creevey barges into the office. He looks at us three with a confused expression on his face and then says, "Is the meeting over? I'm just 15 minutes late!"

I take in the haggard expressions on the faces of the two male Gryffindor prefects, then the embarrassed one on Hermione's face, and burst out laughing.

"Hermione, you are unbelievable." I finally manage to choke out. Colin slumps into the chair beside me, finally understanding that he was, in fact, 15 minutes early.

"Look, if I hadn't told you guys the wrong time and hadn't dragged you out of the bed, Ron would've been 10 minutes late, Colin would've been 15 minutes late! And you, Ginny. You probably wouldn't even get up from bed in time to button your shirt!" Hermione cries.

She starts to comb Ron's hair with her fingers. "Think about it, all the prefect meetings we've been to and conducted, none of them took place in Dumbledore's office at his request. He must have something important to say to us." She starts doing Ron's tie now. "And I didn't want to ruin Gryffindor's reputation the first time because of you three's tardiness."

"Aww, Hermione, you love us so much." I tease. Colin laughs and Ron just shakes his head and smiles.

"There, you look presentable now, Ron. Just tuck in your shirt and you'll be done." she says.

"Why, wont you do it for me?" Ron asks with a saucy grin. Hermione blushes bright red, which makes Ron laugh and kiss her.

I make a gagging noise and say, "Now children, no frolicking in the Headmaster's office."

That just makes Hermione blush harder. Colin taps my thigh and I turn to look at him. He leans in and pretends to whisper, but says it loud enough to make it audible to Hermione. "You know I couldn't help but notice, she could've just used her wand to tidy him up. But she didn't."

"Teen witch hormones, ya know. Makes you want to cop a feel whenever you can." I reply back conspiratorially.

"Hey, you two, cut it out. We're still here.." Ron tries to sound strict but the big, goofy grin on his face gives him away.

I envy the love that Ron and Hermione have for each other. They both have flaws, but together they are just…perfect. It makes me wonder, will I ever share this much emotion with someone? Or will my life end up being an endless chain of flings? The one time I loved, it tore me apart. I wish I had never fallen for Draco Malfoy. Deep down, I know I still love him. His words were brutal when he told me to stop making his life a living hell, that he could never even like me, let alone love me.

In the past 3 months, I've managed to school my heart and body to not react to his presence. To act nonchalant every time someone mentions his name. I've done a pretty good job so far. The fact that Draco decided to praise my quidditch performance doesn't change anything. I cant let it. It was probably a little post-match dare Blaise Zabini forced upon him. Though for a dare, it really sucked. Then again, evil Slytherins that they are, they probably thought they'd torment me a little. Suckers still think I'm pining for him.

I love Draco Malfoy. I'm insanely attracted to him. But I've got no hopes of getting him. Honestly, I don't think I even want to anymore. Thanks to the growth spurt just before the start of this year, guys easily fancy me now. The only reason it still hurts is because Draco is the only guy I ever loved and the only guy I never got.

"A sickle for your thoughts."

I snap out of my musings and am surprised to find the office full. As deep in thought as I was, I hadn't even noticed the arrival and chatter of the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff prefects. A cursory glance over the office showed that the Slytherin prefects are there as well. I prevent my eyes from lingering over the platinum blonde head and turn back to Colin.

He is staring at me at intently, his lips curled into a slight smile. The sunlight streaming from the window on the opposite side of the office makes his sandy blonde hair shine and light blue eyes sparkle. Colin is considered the best looking guy of my year, and now I understand why. He isn't classically handsome. He is not even hot, to be honest. But all together, there is something about his features that make him very, very appealing. He doesn't make my stomach tingle like Draco can. No other guy can. But he is attractive enough, for sure.

"What are you thinking about?" he asks, openly curious.

I blink. It takes a nanosecond for me to come to a decision. I slowly curve the left side of my lips to form a half smile. It is a practiced move of mine, one I'm not ashamed to use on guys. It makes my lips look provocative and my cheekbones more prominent. I've had enough guys wallowing after me later on to know that, in one word, it makes me look sexy. The only guy it has never worked on is Draco, but I'm not going to think about that.

Leaning closer, I bump my knee against his and whisper to him, making sure my lips brush the shell of his ear. "I was just thinking that you have the most…beautiful eyes. A girl cant help but drown in them."

I pull back in time to see him gulp. Yeah, I have him right where I want him. I wink and look forward, only to gasp. Professor Dumbledore is staring right back at me. My head snaps to my left, where Ron and Hermione are seated. The intensity of their glare is enough to tell me the whole story. Everyone stopped talking when Dumbledore entered, and the silence probably amplified my whispered words.

Holding back a wince, I smile faintly at the Headmaster and say, "Good morning, Professor."

Professor Dumbledore gives me an amused smile. I'm so embarrassed, but I still hold my ground and pretend like the Headmaster didn't just hear me flirt.

"Good morning, everyone. I hope you've all had a good night's sleep?" he asks us all, and we murmur a polite "Yes sir."

He clears his throat and continues. "I'm sure you have been wondering why I personally wanted to address all the prefects." He looks at Hermione's tense posture and gives her a warm smile, as if to reassure her.

"Now, it has come to my notice that House Unity has been going down the hill at Hogwarts and no one wants to do anything about it. It is shameful and very degrading." He glances at us all and continues. "Not only is the age-old rivalry of Gryffindor and Slytherin at its worst, but I hear Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw have started their own tradition of belittling each other."

He gives a stern look to the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff prefects and I see them bristle under his stare. It's been like that for a while now. If Slytherins have to choose, they prefer the company of Ravenclaws, and us Gryffindors prefer to hang with Hufflepuffs. Even now we were seated that way, the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff prefects on the right and the other two houses on the left. As it is upto the Head Girl and Head Boy to decide which prefects patrol which area, Hermione and Anthony Goldstein either pair up Gryffindors with Hufflepuffs and Slytherins with Ravenclaws, or just prefects of the same house.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out why Slytherins and Gryffindors don't mesh, but I have no idea what caused the rift between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, or the gap between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. All in all, Dumbledore is right. House Unity is messed up. He is also right about another thing. We don't really care.

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is considered the best school in the wizarding world. I cant have something are frivolous as House rivalry tarnish our reputation. So I've decided to take matters in my own hands." With a swish of his wand, he makes stacks of parchment fly up from the top of his desk and distribute themselves among us.

Since I'm the first one to get the paper, I'm also the first one to react.

"Professor! We'll all end up killing each other!"

"I do hope you refrain from doing so, Miss Weasley. It would be futile, really. You'll be seeing a lot of each other from now on. Not only have I paired up Slytherins with Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs with Ravenclaws for the patrols and overseeing of detentions, you will also be attending your classes this way. Effective immediately." says Dumbledore with a wise smile.

My heart is pounding. I've been paired up to patrol with Draco on Saturday and Tuesday nights. Fucking hell, this is not happening. Fuck fuck fuck. Beside me, Ron moans and mutters, "This is a nightmare."

"Miss Granger, Miss Abbott, Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Malfoy, I'm leaving it upto you to pin the new class schedules to your respective notice boards and explain the reason for the change to your fellow house mates." says Dumbledore.

"How long will we have to stick to this routine?" I hear Draco's question from behind me and will myself not to look at him. I bet he doesn't even care that we have to patrol together. Why should he? I'm just another silly girl who was madly in love with him. Sucks for him, I'm a Gryffindor as well.

Fuck-ing-hell.

Dumbledore gets up from his chair, or should I say throne, and his smile widens at Draco's question. "As long as I deem fit, Mr. Malfoy." he replies, with a twinkle in his eye. I think I'm starting to really not like the old man.

"Now off you all go. Chop chop." he says, and we all hurry to get out of the Headmaster's office. I'm boiling inside and I know Hermione is going to be the one to take the brunt of my wrath. I don't why, I feel like blaming her. I know it's silly and childish, but I cant help it.

Her bushy brown hair is right infront of me, so I lean down and hiss, "That was one meeting I honestly wish I had missed, Hermione." I see her shake her head, then she turns and whispers back, "I know what's bothering you. We'll talk about that, ok?"

Great. I'm that easy to read.

* * *

><p><em>9. 30 am<em>

"You have to ask Ron to change shifts with me." I plead. "Please, Hermione! You know he wont listen to me alone."

"Miss Weasley! This is the last time I'm going to warn you. Make noise again, and I'm afraid I have to ban you from the library for a week." Madam Pince's glare would've singed anyone else, but I couldn't care less.

As she walks away, I whisper, "What is it with the female population of Hogwarts? They are all so fucking uptight."

"Well, you're part of the said female population, Ginny." Neville quips from under tons of parchment.

"Bleh, with the exception of me, ofcourse. Like that even needs to be stated." I reply back, swishing my ponytail from one shoulder to another. Hermione just rolls her eyes and goes back to correcting Neville's potions essay for him.

"I'm serious, Hermione. You have to help me. There is no way I can perform prefect duties with Dra-Malfoy, you know that." I say, hoping Hermione didnt notice my slip.

She sighs and looks up. "Look, Ginny, you honestly think it'd be a good idea to pair Ron up with Malfoy? They really would end up killing each other."

"She does have a point." adds Neville.

I bury my fingers in my hair and groan. Things are so not looking my way.

"Hey, you don't like the Malfoy git anymore, do you?" asks Neville all of a sudden.

My heart skips a beat. "Ofcourse I don't." I reply back, all confused. Where did that come from?

"Well, I don't see the problem then. Why would it bother you to patrol with him? He is just another Slytherin, though definitely the most evil."

It takes a few seconds for me to answer that.

Firstly, I still have a crush on him. Maybe it is more than a crush, maybe not. Since the year started, I haven't allowed myself to ponder on these thoughts and I'm not about to start. I loved him once, and it had been a disaster. I don't think I'll be able to look him in the eye without feeling humiliated. Yes, that makes me weak and foolish and I bet dear old Godric is rolling in his grave because someone as pathetic as me has been sorted into his house. I'm not really proud of myself either. If I'm sure of one thing though, it is that being close to him and having to interact with him will make the love I've tried so hard to forget resurface. But I don't want to say all these to Neville, or Hermione for the matter. So how do I reply?

Fortunately, Hermione comes to the rescue.

"Isnt it obvious? She is embarrassed. And knowing Malfoy, he will probably make fun of her till his last breath. Why will she willingly endure that?" Shaking her head with a disgusted expression on her face, Hermione grabs the patrol schedule from my hand and scrutinizes it.

"Hmm, let's see. I've been paired up with Astoria Greengrass, and as much as I'd like to help you out, I really don't want to be called a mudblood over the course of the two hour patrol, which Malfoy is bound to do. Astoria is too scared of my intelligence to say anything."

I snort at that and am about to make a witty remark, but Hermione makes a face, so I let her continue.

"We've already established that asking Ron to change his shift is out of the question, even though I'd like nothing more than to scratch Pansy Parkinson's eyes out because that slag is going to patrol with him."

"Ooo, possessive, are we?" I tease, and Neville chuckles.

"Yes, I am." says Hermione with a shrug. "Anyway, so your only option is to ask Colin to change shifts with you. He has been paired up with Lucas Flint, so if he agrees to change, your problem will be solved."

"Who is Lucas Flint?" Neville asks.

"Oh, he is in my year." I say. "You remember his elder brother, I'm sure. Marcus Flint? Big, scary type? Used to be the captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team?"

Neville shudders when he finally recalls who I'm talking about. "Yeah, I remember alright. He was a major bully. But then again, I've yet to meet a Slytherin who isn't a bully."

"True that, but we've had years of practice to deal with it." says Hermione with a shrug.

"Still doesn't give them the right to be such assholes." mutters Neville.

"Oh my, Nevie boy, watch the language." I reprimand him mockingly, and grin.

"Coming from you, Ginbean, that really is very funny." I know he is mocking me back because he is grinning as well, so I just shrug and say, "I have no regrets."

"Oh goodness, it's quarter to 10. We better hurry or else we'll miss our first period. Neville, you really need to work on this potions essay. It might get you an A, but you need an E atleast."

"I'm pretty sure he isn't looking to "Exceed Expectations", Hermione. We both know an "Acceptable" by Snape is equivalent to an O." I say, as we walk out of the library.

"He wouldn't give me an E even if I deserved it." Neville says, a hint of frustration in his voice. "Snape hates me."

"Snape hates us all." Hermione and I say at the same time, then we look at each other and grin.

"Yes, well, we'll be in McGonagall's hate list too if we are late to her class. See you at lunch, Ginny?" asks Hermione.

I nod, wave and head towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. It's been my favourite subject since my 4th year, when I discovered that I'm pretty good with hexes and jinxes. It's been almost everyone's favourite subject since Professor Baskerville took over as Defense teacher earlier this year. His motto is simple: You learn a spell, you use it. I don't even remember the last time we had a theoretical class. Harry practically worships the Professor, which doesn't surprise me at all.

I'm just 5 minutes late when I open the door to the classroom, but that doesn't bother me since Professor Baskerville always takes atleast 10 minutes to start the lesson. What does bother me is that along with the Gryffindors, the class is full of Slytherins instead of Hufflepuffs. For a second, I'm completely baffled. Then it hits me. I was so occupied with Malfoy and the patrolling schedule that I completely forgot about the change in class routines as well. With an inward groan, I walk inside.

The dueling room was long, with no furniture except benches along the length of the two walls. I walk over to where the Gryffindors are standing, and drop my bag beside Demelza's.

"It's one cracked up policy Dumbledore has adopted, eh." says Demelza when she notices me.

I nod my head and say, "No shit. Something tells me Madam Pomfrey is going to be very busy this week."

Colin chuckles at that and when I look at him, we make eye contact. I wasn't flattering him when I complimented his eyes back in Dumbledore's office. The blue orbs were pretty dreamy. I smile at him and he smiles back.

I think I've found my date for the next Hogsmeade trip.

"Dumbledore has finally lost it." Colin says. "I mean, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs can still get along, but he is insane to expect civility between Gryffindors and Slytherins!"

"I always thought Dumbledore to be a bit…mad." says Demelza with a shrug.

"He isn't mad, obviously. But he sure is taking it all a bit too far this time. I mean, c'mon! Since when did House Unity even matter?" I say exasperatedly.

"I, for one, am glad with the whole arrangement." Romilda says, flipping her hair over her shoulders and joining our conversation.

I raise my eyebrows at her. "Really? Do tell why."

"Well, you cant deny it. Slytherin's got the fittest guys." She stares at the Slytherins on the other side of the room and sighs. "This whole House Unity crap will give me an opportunity to flirt!"

Colin makes a gagging noise while Demelza says, "I could kick you out of our dorm for saying that."

"What, it's true! Look at them!" whines Romilda, waving her hands towards the Slytherin group. "Every freaking one of them looks like a Greek god!"

I roll my eyes and take a look, only to feel my mouth drop. She is right. Every fucking one of them looks good. Ofcourse, some of them look better than the others, but they are all pretty fine. When did that happen? And howcome I'm noticing it right now?

Oh, right. It's because I've only had eyes for one Slytherin for the past year. I had been so smitten I didn't even notice that all the guys in my year had hit puberty, lost all the baby fat from their faces and gained muscle. In this moment, I think I actually hate Draco Malfoy.

"Well, even if they do look good, it'll be awfully hard to strike up a conversation with them." Colin tells Romilda, and Demelza nods in agreement. "They are gits to the core, these Slytherins."

"Something tells me it isn't conversation Romilda is after." I say with a wink in her direction. Romilda blushes, and it makes all of us laugh.

"Good morning, students." Professor Baskerville's booming voice stops our chatter. "Glad to see you lot haven't gone at each other's throats…yet." He walks down the spiraled staircase at the end of the room with a grace and poise uncommon in 70 year olds. "Now, we've learned how to defend and deflect spells in the past class. If any of you still cant produce a proper shield, well, it's really sad because you'll be needing it today if you don't want to end up in the hospital wing." He says cheerfully.

"Oh crap, I've yet to master Protego." Romilda moans beside me.

"Today," Professor Baskerville continues, "we will practice the stunning spell. I'm sure most of you are familiar with it, but as a teacher I have to demonstrate before we can start practicing. Any volunteer?" He waits a few seconds. "No one? How about you, Mr. Bole? Aah, yes, you would do nicely. Please step forward." He asks pleasantly.

Adrian Bole mutters something darkly to his Slytherin companions and joins Professor Baskerville in the middle of the room. He doesn't look pleased, and I don't blame him. It's one thing to stun a partner during practice, but totally another to be stunned by the teacher infront of the whole class.

"Now, the incantation is _stu-pe-fy_, as you all know. It momentarily stuns your opponent, which is very effective during a duel. An average person would stay immobilized for approximately 90 seconds, enough time for the caster to flee from the scene or to cause further damage to the victim. The bigger your opponent, the lesser time he or she will stay stunned."

Without warning, Professor Baskerville shouts "_stupefy!_" and a jet of red light sparks from his wand and hits Bole right in the middle of his chest. While Bole is rooted to the ground, eyes wide and motionless, Professor Baskerville sighs and says to the class, "I was hoping he would conjure a shield and block the spell. Guess I overestimated his reflexes."

Some of the Gryffindors laugh and Colin actually shouts, "You should've chosen one of us lions if you wanted to be impressed, Professor!"

I chuckle and clap Colin on the back without looking at him. From the other side, I hear the Slytherins growl and see them throw dirty looks at Colin. Baskerville just smiles and turns back to Bole.

"Mr. Bole being rather tall, it will take less than a minute for the effects of the stun to wear off. Before that happens, let us learn the counter spell."

He raises his wand again and shouts, "_Enervate!"_

Bole staggers back with a curse that makes Professor Baskerville raise his eyebrows and the Slytherins snicker. With a sullen expression, he trudges back to his group.

"Alright then, now that Mr. Bole's _ordeal_ is over, it's time to partner up and start practicing. Each of you will use the stunning spell on your partner while he or she will block it using a shield. If your partner is successful in conjuring a proper shield, he or she will stun you and now you'll be the one blocking. Practice will go on till each of you has successfully blocked the stunning spell seven times. Shouldn't be that hard."

With that, the Professor walks back up the staircase and stands on the marble podium at the far end of the room, which provides excellent view of the ongoing practice.

I look for Demelza since she is my partner in every class, and see her already in position farther along the room. Most students practice near the stairs to catch Professor Baskerville's attention and impress him, but we are not that silly. I start walking towards her, wand already in hand, when someone tugs at my shirt sleeve. I turn to see its Colin.

"So, I was hoping you'd be my partner for a change this class." he says with a boyish smile.

I blink. Wow, he caught on pretty quick. I could practically feel Demelza glaring at my back, and as if reading my mind, Colin tilts his head a looks at her direction.

"That is, if Demelza is okay without you, ofcourse." he stammers slightly.

I turn my head. Demelza's hands are on her hips and when she catches my eyes, she mouths, "Traitor." I wink and turn back to Colin.

"She'll survive." I say with a smile. This is going to be fun.

"Oh, I forgot to mention." shouts Professor Baskerville. We all look up at the podium. "From now on, Gryffindors and Slytherins will practice together…as partners."

For three seconds, no one utters a word. Then chaos.

"You've got to be kidding us." shouts Bole.

"I'm following Dumbledore's orders, and so will you all." Baskerville'says in a tone that welcomes no arguments.

"No way am I practicing with slimy Slytherins." I say, not bothering to keep my voice down.

"You think we want to? We're the ones who have to associate with filth and blood-traitors." sneers Bole, his attention on me now. I feel Colin take a protective step beside me. Bole looks him up and down with a disgusted expression. "Not to mention mudbloods."

Colin's face turns red.

"Now, Mr. Bole, I wont tolerate language like that in my class." Baskerville says sternly, his wand drawn incase a duel starts.

"It's alright Professor." I say, a mocking smile on my face. "I wont expect anything else from someone whose parents are in Azkaban."

Crossing my arms, I take a step forward and lean towards Bole. "Tell me something, do you cry like a baby when Daddy fails to send Christmas presents, because the dementors are busy sucking his soul out?" I say, my expression cruel. No one gets away with insulting a Gryffindor like that.

"You filthy bitch!" A jet of green shoots from his wand, but since I anticipated the move, I conjure a shield right in time to deflect his spell.

"Mr. Bole! 20 points from Slytherin! This kind of behavior is unacceptable." cries Professor Baskerville, now coming down from the podium.

"He couldn't help it, Professor." drawls Lucas Flint, one of his arms holding Bole back from taking a lunge at me. "It would piss anyone off to be badmouthed by the Gryffindor whore."

Ok that stung.

"Oh shut up, you bloody oaf." Demelza says scornfully, coming to my defense. "You're just jealous because you want a piece of her, but you're never gonna get any."

Now it's Flint's face which turns red.

"Please, like the Slytherin boys would ever lower themselves by touching the likes of you skanks." sneers Astoria Greengrass, one hand on her hip and another wrapped possessively around Flint's free arm.

"Watch whom you're calling skank, Greengrass. If I remember correctly, it was you running down the castle ground in your knickers after Filch caught you frolicking in the broomshed. Gave him quite a show, eh." I sneer back. Around me, all the Gryffindors laugh.

"You fucking cunt!" screams Greengrass. She draws out her wand and is about to curse me into oblivion, when Professor Baskerville shouts "_Expelliarmus!_"

Both of our wands fly high in the air and lands with a clatter on the other side of the room.

"I cannot conduct my class with you all behaving like a bunch of 3 year old buffoons." shouts Baskerville. "I hope you get your act together, because in the next class, _all of you _will serve a week's detention if a single person says something offensive."

He pauses and gives everyone a fierce look. "Is that understood?"

Grudgingly, we all say that we do.

"Good. There is no point in continuing this house rivalry nonsense anyway. You will be attending all classes together. If you fail to be civil in those classes, then you'll be attending detentions together." Professor Baskerville looks amused as he says this. "Fight or not, Gryffindors and Slytherins are stuck…_together_. So might as well get used to each other's company."

"That is easier said than done." mutters Ritchie Coote, a Gryffindor and one of the beaters of our Quidditch team. I'm in total agreement with his statement.

"There is only 10 minutes of class remaining and I see no point in trying to practice the stunning spell anymore." says Baskerville. "Please be off to your next class, which is Transfiguration?" He looks at me for confirmation and I nod. "I'll send a note to Professor McGonagall, so if any one of you starts another fight in the corridors, the consequence will be harsh." He warns us all.

We walk out of the dueling room, the Slytherins leaving first. Borrowing Demelza's wand, I _accio_ mine from where it had landed and slip it into the pocket of my robe, keeping my hand curled around it. If the glares Greengrass, Flint and Bole sent in my direction are any indication, the walk to Transfiguration will be very, very interesting. I smirk at that thought, flip my hair to the other shoulder and walk out of the classroom with the Gryffindors.

The corridors of Hogwarts are wide enough to let two groups walk side by side. As the distance from Professor Baskerville and his classroom grows bigger, so does the tension between us Gryffindors and Slytherins.

"So, Weasley, I hear you sleep with Draco Malfoy's picture under your pillow?" sneers Lucas Flint, and the Slytherins laugh cruelly.

We are all just 10ft away from McGonagall's classroom. Clever son of a bitch, he knew if it wasn't for that fact, his balls would be on fire now. And dammit, how can I possibly respond to an insult like that. Not that I actually sleep with that git's picture under my pillow, mind you. But there is no way I can defend myself. As I said before, the whole school knows how I used to be infatuated with Draco Malfoy.

Colin stood to my right and Jimmy to my left. Behind me, I felt Demelza squeeze my hand. She knew it hurt everytime someone insulted me regarding Malfoy. The Gryffindors stood behind me protectively, and it boosted my confidence.

With a saccharine smile, I tapped my forefinger on my lips and pretended to think. "Now there is a possibility of that, isn't it?" I said pleasantly.

Flint looked confused at my lack of reaction, and I smirked. "Know what has a higher possibility? You have _my_ picture under your pillow. With the type of floozies you date, Merlin knows you need to fantasize about someone else while you're doing her."

Not the most original comeback, but my loyal Gryffindors cackled at it anyway. Flint fumed and took a step towards me. I pulled my wand out instantly and pointed it at his throat, and my peripheral vision showed Colin and Jimmy did the same. Before anything could happen though, a thunderous bang diverted our attention and we all snapped out heads to the left.

The door to the Transfiguration classroom was wide open and on the floor laid a familiar red-headed figure. Namely, my brother.

"Ron!" I shouted in horror, running towards him.

If he heard me, he didn't give any indication. Instead, he pointed his wand at someone inside the classroom, not bothering to get up from the floor, and shouted, "_Impedimenta!_"

Another bang was heard.

"WEASLEY! MALFOY! HOW DARE YOU TWO!"

In the 6 years I've been a student at Hogwarts, I've never seen McGonagall so angry. She seethed with rage as she stomped out of her classroom, Draco following closely behind. This time, I couldn't help but stare at him. The first two buttons of his shirt were torn, his tie tangled behind his neck, the sleek platinum blonde hair sticking up at places. A nasty bruise was forming on his jaw.

"YOU TWO HAVE TAKEN IT TOO FAR THIS TIME." McGonagall roared.

We all just stood in the corridor, stunned.

"BADMOUTHING, MANHANDLING, AND CURSING EACH OTHER! ALL INFRONT OF A TEACHER!"

The 7th years stood at the mouth of the door, just as stunned with the situation as us 6th years. Hermione was near tears, and Harry's eyes were so wide it looked like his eyeballs would pop out any second. Behind him, Neville gulped. I could see the heads of Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott and Gregory Goyle, all wearing the same unbelievable expression.

"DETENTION! EVERY NIGHT FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS!"

"But, Professor! We have Qudditch prac-"

"I DON'T CARE, POTTER!"

"How is it my fault? Weasley started it!"

"NOT A WORD, MALFOY! OR YOU'LL SERVE DETENTION FOR THE WHOLE MONTH!"

Ron scrambled to his feet and Draco threw a filthy glare at him. Professor McGonagall was panting now, her face so red she looked sick. That is when she turned sideways and noticed us. For a second, it looked like she was spacing out. Then she came back to her senses, back to being the cool and collected Transfiguration teacher we all knew.

"7th years, off to your next class." she croaked, her voice hoarse from the shouting. "6th years, wait in the classroom while I escort Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Weasley to the Headmaster's office."

Turning back to glare at Ron and Draco, she said curtly, "Follow me."

Giving Hermione and apologetic look, Ron walked behind McGonagall. As he passed me, I touched his elbow and muttered softly, "Are you alright?"

He just shrugged and said, "It was worth it."

I watched him walk away, a slight limp to his gait. Suddenly, Draco's back came into my line of vision. He walked swiftly, surely, his spine straight. Without stopping, he turned his head and locked my eyes locked with his. I blinked, not sure if I was hallucinating. He was still looking at me. Three more steps and he broke our eye contact, turning his head forward.

The breath I had been holding whooshed out. I could scarcely believe it. Draco Malfoy had intentionally looked at me.

"What just…happened?" Ritchie Coote said absently, voicing what we all were thinking.

I wish I had an idea. All I knew was, I would need a lot of patience and restraint to survive the next couple of days.

* * *

><p><strong>From DamnDraco: I've just started writing this fic and I'm already in love with it! The new characters, Draco's mysterious behavior, Ginny's mixed feelings, I'm having so much fun writing this! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU LIKE IT! If you've got any confusion, dont hesitate to ask. <strong>


	2. Chapter 2

Colin's Tale

_Dec 3__rd__ [later that night]_

"What a day!" Harry exclaimed, flopping down beside me.

"Tell me about it." I muttered, stacking the sheaves of parchment aside so that Harry could sit comfortably.

When McGonagall had come back from Dumbledore's office, she hadn't mentioned anything regarding the fight between Ron and Draco Malfoy. None of us had expected her to anyway, but we were all damn curious. From then on, classes had progressed fairly predictably. Since everyone had seen firsthand what happened if you incurred McGonagall's wrath, no one stepped a toe out of line. Thankfully, our task had been to practice conjuring spells, so we didn't need partners.

After lunch, we were back to being uncivilized. Demelza got detention for shoving a Fanged Geranium down Carmenta Avery's shirt in Herbology class, and much to my delight, Professor Flitwick took 20 points from Slytherin because Astoria Greengrass lit fire to Romilda Vane's robes intentionally while pretending it had been a spell gone wrong.

"Yeah? Let me guess, you got into fights with the Slytherins too?" Harry asked, even though he knew the answer.

We were in the Gryffindor common room, sitting on our favorite cushiony sofa infront of the fireplace. It was around 8 in the evening, so everyone was either lounging on the couches or doing homework on the small wooden tables scattered across the room.

I raised my eyebrows. "What else did you expect? I'm a Weasley, after all."

Laughing, he ruffled my hair. "You sure are, Ginny. A Weasley to the core."

"Where are your other halves?" I asked when his laughter subsided, opening the wrapper of a Chocolate Frog and popping it into my mouth. I motioned for Harry to help himself to some.

"If you mean Hermione and Ron, well, Hermione is in the library, researching on Merlin knows what. She has patrols to do later, so you wont be seeing her unless you stay up late." he said, chewing on the chocolate. He paused for a few seconds, gulping down the confection. "And Ron is in detention, helping Filch restore paintings on the third floor. He'll be back just before curfew starts."

We stayed silent for a few minutes, enjoying the chocolate and staring at the blazing fire.

"Wait, you didn't end up getting detention as well, right?" he said abruptly, not noticing the chocolate frog that escaped from his clutches. "Ron will probably miss a couple of practices. I need all of my players in excellent shape for the match against Ravenclaw, and for that, I need all of my players to be _available_."

"Well, Demelza got detention, but-"

"WHAT? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? FOR HOW LONG?"

"Calm down, Harry. It's just for tonight." I said, trying not to laugh at the panicked expression on his face.

Shoulders still tensed, he ran his hands through his messy black hair. "Thank God, I almost hyperventilated at the thought of another main player unable to join practices."

Smirking, I said, "Yeah that much was obvious."

When he still looked worried, I ran my hand over his back soothingly. "Don't worry, Captain. We can beat Ravenclaw even with blindfolds on!" I said cheerfully.

"I have full faith in you, Gin, but don't be so overconfident." said Harry. "Kevin Whitby is a very good strategist."

"You're forgetting something, Harry. Ravenclaw might have good strategies, but we have the best players." I said smugly. "Not to mention the best seeker in the wizarding world!"

Harry shook his head modestly, but smiled nonetheless. "You don't have to butter me up, I'll be writing your name on the recommendation letter anyway."

Confused, I stared at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Well," he started slowly, "it really is upto McGonagall, in the end, but the ex captain's opinion does have an influence on whom she chooses for next year's captaincy."

Unable to believe what he said, I squealed and pounced on him, hugging him so hard his back hit the cushions and we ended up sprawled on the sofa.

"Oh Merlin, let me up you wench!" Harry choked out from under me.

I was too delirious to listen to him, hugging him so tightly his tie dug into my collarbone. For the first time that day, I felt happy. Happy was an understatement, I was ecstatic! Pulling my head up, I looked down at him and squeaked, "You're really going to put my name on your recommendation letter?"

"Yes! But not a word to anyone or else I'll have to-"

I didn't let him finish, just let lose another squeal and threw my arm around him again.

"What the hell is going on in here?"

My head snapped up to see Ron standing infront of the couch, an annoyed but bewildered expression on his face. I pushed myself away from Harry and sat up gracefully. Harry scrambled up from the sofa, his face flushed and glasses askew.

Looking up at Ron, I said, "Ron! Guess what?"

He looked at me, then at Harry's disheveled appearance, then back at me and said suspiciously, "What?"

"Ginny! I told you not to-"

"I LOVE QUIDDITCH!"

Both Harry and Ron looked at me like I was a lunatic, but I didn't care. They couldn't understand how happy I felt, how much it meant to me that Harry would even consider referring my name for captaincy. Standing up, I gave Ron a hug as well. He was the one who used to help me practice back in the Burrow, the one who improvised my stunts and techniques.

"I love you too, big brother." I told him fondly. Ron looked even more perplexed.

Facing Harry and Ron again, I started walking backwards and said, "You wont regret it Harry, I promise!" The sincerity was clear in my voice.

As I skipped back to the girl's dormitory, ignoring the quizzical stares of my housemates, I heard Ron mumble, "Whatever magic words did you say to her, mate?"

Inside the dorm, I changed into flannel shorts and a tank top, still grinning like a fool. I never underestimated my talent as a Quidditch player, but I honestly expected Harry to think of Demelza as the better leader. I might score more goals than her, but she was always cool and collected during matches, able to think clearly, whereas I tended to get hotheaded. Not that I'm complaining that he chose me.

Giddy with happiness, I slumped on my bed in a daze. The door to the dorm opened and entered a very irritated Demelza Robins. She took one look at my grinning countenance, huffed and made her way towards the bathroom without uttering a single word. Romilda and Orla Quirke entered the room a few minutes later, and we made small talk as I waited for Demelza to come out. When she finally did, she still looked annoyed.

"Someone looks pissed." I commented, curious about my friend's current mood.

"Someone looks sickeningly happy." she retorted, swishing her wand around her hair to dry it.

I raised my hands up with a shrug to show that I wasn't being judgmental. Sighing, she sat down beside me, took a deep breath and started to rant.

"You won't believe what a bitch Pansy Parkinson is! Sprout assigned her to oversee my detention, alright? Now I was supposed to clean the Mandrake pots as punishment, which was fine by me. But that filthy pug-face made me scrub the sample bottles as well."

When I gave her a confused look, she practically shouted, "It was filled with pus!"

For the sake of my friend, I stopped my face from recoiling with disgust.

"And that's not the end of it." Demelza continued. "Throughout the detention she kept prattling on and on about how she has her own Gringotts vault, how her wardrobe changes every season and how she will end up marrying into the infamous Malfoy clan after graduating. Like I give a shit about…" I wasn't listening to her anymore.

Malfoy. Patrol. Tomorrow. _Shit._

I must've uttered the last word out loud, because Demelza stopped talking and looked at me weirdly. Not bothering to explain, I jumped up from the bed. In my ecstasy over Harry's news, I had completely forgotten that tomorrow was Saturday and I had to patrol with Draco Malfoy.

"Have you seen Colin?" I asked Demelza, hopping on one leg as I pulled a shoe on another.

She replied blankly, "No. He wasn't there when I entered the common room."

"I'm really sorry to leave you like this, but I have got to talk to Colin." I said as I made my way towards the door.

"Really?"

I turned my head at the wryness in Demelza's tone. "It's not what you think." I said, rolling my eyes.

When all she did was quirk an eyebrow, I sighed and left the dorm. Since the term had started, I had dated Dean Thomas and had two flings, one with a Ravenclaw and another with a Hufflepuff. As all that happened in the course of just three months, most people took me as a nympho now. I didn't really care, I've had some fun times. But if one of my closest friends thought I'd hop into bed with just any boy, I needed to have a serious discussion with her. That could wait though. I had a job to do.

As my feet landed on the last step of the stairs, I scanned the common room. Harry and Ron were nowhere in sight. Infact, there were no 7th years present. Jimmy Peaks and Ritchie Coote were playing chess at a corner, and I walked towards them.

"Hey, either of you know where Colin is?" I asked when I reached their table.

Both of them looked up from their game, and stared. "Nice jammies." said Ritchie, giving me a once over.

I just crossed my arms and tapped one foot on the carpet

"Colin is up in the dormitory." Jimmy finally provided an answer, proving to be the more efficient of the two.

"Well, can you please go up and tell him I'm looking for him?" I requested, giving Jimmy my best puppy-dog eyes, which never failed to do the trick.

"Uhh, sure." he said, giving me a shy smile. Beside him, Ritchie rolled his eyes and said, "You're not leaving before making your move, Peaks."

"Oh yeah, I forgot." He was blushing slightly. "I'm sorry Ginny, if you could just give me a minute to figure out what Ritchie is playing at…"

I took a look at the marble chess board on the table. I wasnt a pro at the game since I lacked patience, but growing up with Ron meant you had to know the basic tricks. So in a matter of seconds, I understood Ritchie's game plan.

"Whatever you do, don't move your castle." I said, feeling smug at the surprised expression on the face of the two beaters. "He will take out your bishop and then-"

"Checkmate."

I turned to see Colin standing behind me, looking impressed. He was wearing a white t-shirt and naturally faded blue jeans. Very simple attire, but I would be lying if I said I didn't like it.

"Well, this is our cue to leave." said Ritchie, giving Colin a knowing look and packing up the chess board.

After a couple of fist bumps and those weird complicated hand movements guys made (which I never really got the hang of), Jimmy and Ritchie bade us goodnight. With the exception of a couple of 3rd years, we were the only ones in the common room.

"My dear sir," I started, smiling flirtatiously at him, "I thought you retired for the night."

"Indeed, I had been about to fall asleep when I remembered I left a book in the common room." he said, smiling and pointing at the sofa where I had been sitting previously with Harry. I followed Colin as he made his way towards it.

"Aren't these yours?" he asked, handing over a parchment. Recognizing my handwriting immediately, I thanked Colin. Once again, I had been so caught up over Harry and his recommendation letter, I had left all my homework on the sofa.

"You must've sat here right after I left for the dormitory." Colin mused, pulling a paperback from under one of the cushions. I read the title of the book aloud.

"Red Riding Hood: A Dark Fantasy." Curiously, I reached for the book, turning it around. "That's a pretty interesting title. How come I've never heard of it?"

"It's a muggle book, that's why. Although some say the author was aware of witches and wizards, since it contains elements from the wizarding world."

"Really? What is the story about?"

The sudden tinge of pink on Colin's cheeks piqued my interest, so I sat down and silently read the synopsis at the back of the book.

_Delve into the primal core of an old tale that was once designed to frighten children into doing what they were told. Take a plunge into the sensual corners of the human psyche. This version of the Little Red Riding Hood radicalizes the classic fairy tale. But be warned, this is not for children!_

"You know, it sounds intriguing and all." I said slowly, looking up at him from underneath the bangs which had fallen over my eyes. "But I'm still not getting the plot." And I still couldn't understand why he had been blushing awhile ago.

"It's about this girl who falls in love with, uh, a werewolf." Colin mumbled.

I stared at him, astonished. "In love with a _werewolf_?"

He nodded, clearly embarrassed at being caught reading a love story. He tried to grab the book from my clutches, but I quickly snuck it behind me, hiding it from view. Since I really wanted to know what happened in the book but didn't have enough patience to read it, I cajoled him and he finally agreed to narrate the story.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he scrunched his nose slightly and sat down beside me. "Ok, promise me you won't draw the wrong conclusions." he implored. "I'm only reading it because I'm a member of this muggle book club and this is on the winter reading list."

"You have my word." I said solemnly, though inside I was begging him to get on with it.

"It's about this 17 year old girl who had red hair and looked pretty, uh, hot because of it. One day, she decided to visit her grandmother who lived deep in the forest. As she walked deeper into the woods, she was confronted with a hunter. Now this guy was a real stud, charming and flirty and tried to seduce her. He almost succeeded, but the girl was stubborn as hell and wouldn't let him distract her completely. When she refused to change her course, the hunter made a bet. If he reached her grandmother's place before her, she would owe him, uh, a kiss."

Colin paused, cleared his throat and continued.

"Not one to back down from a challenge, Red gladly told the hunter where her grandmother's cottage was located, and they parted ways. It was nightfall when she finally reached the cottage, and to her surprise, the hunter stood infront of the door, waiting to collect his debt. Impressed, she stepped into his arms gladly and they, um, they snogged each other senseless. In the middle of their, er, make out session, his body started to spasm. Horrorstruck, Red watched as the hunter shifted into a werewolf."

"The werewolf told Red that if she didn't, er, sleep with him, he would kill her grandmother. At first, she was terrified and tried to flee, but the werewolf caught her and dragged her to his den, which was near the cottage. There, they have, um, they _do it_." Colin was clearly embarrassed at this point, so I gave him an encouraging smile, which he seemed to appreciate.

"He told her that if she came to his den once a month, he wouldn't eat her grandmother for dinner. So every full moon, Red visited the werewolf. On her fourth visit, she hid a pin coated with poison in her hair. While the werewolf was in the throes of, uh, climax, she stabbed him with the pin and he died instantly."

"I thought you said she was in love with the werewolf." I said, confused but utterly enthralled by the story.

"Yes, well, you see, as the months flew by, Red started to really miss her werewolf." Colin said, chuckling softly. "He had been a beast, cruel and ruthless and demanding, but he had made her, you know, _feel _things. No other man could take her to the heights of passion the werewolf had. She discovered her womanhood with him and no one else could make her feel as…complete. All these conflicting emotions and insatiable desires created havoc in her head. She became mad with want and gradually, the fear of what was happening to her coupled with the unreasonable grief she felt in the absence of the wolf made her…mindless."

Colin looked at me when he uttered the last word. I had been so engrossed with the story, I had leaned towards him involuntarily and now our noses almost touched.

"Fascinating." I whispered.

He looked at my lips, and I watched his adam's apple bob, but he still didn't make a move. My impatience kicked in and I slanted my head slightly, coming an inch closer to his lips. His eyelashes drooped and he finally moved closer. Only a heartbeat separated our lips, and then-

"Ginny! Why are you still up? It's weekday tomorrow!"

Colin jumped from the sofa while I gritted my teeth. Hermione was such a maternal figure, sneaking up on me just when I was about to be kissed.

"I know, I was just…talking to Colin." I muttered, not bothering to turn and look at the Head Girl.

"Oh, I see. So should I make changes in the patrol schedule?" Hermione asked.

I mentally slapped myself and stood up, cant believing I had forgotten why I wanted to see Colin in the first place. Beside me, the blonde looked perplexed. "What changes?"

"Uhh, I've been meaning to ask you." I said, biting my lip. "Would you mind changing your patrol shift with me?"

"You want to patrol with Lucas Flint?" he asked, bewildered.

"More like, she doesn't want to patrol with Draco Malfoy." provided Hermione, and I winced. That had made me sound like such a loser.

Understanding dawned on Colin's features and I gave him a helpless smile, puppy-dog eyes included.

"I don't know, Ginny. Havent you noticed how hostile Flint is towards you?" he said, his expression worried. "I don't think it would be wise for you to be alone with him, that too at night."

"Wait, Flint is hostile towards you?" asked Hermione, a horrified expression on her face.

When I merely rolled my eyes, she exclaimed, "Ginny! Do you have a death wish? I mean, have you seen the size of that boy? He could crush you with his bare hands if provoked!"

"You don't have to be so theatrical, Hermione." I said, my tone laced with amusement. "I can take care of myself."

"I don't think Hermione doubts your ability to look after yourself. But…I've heard him say some nasty things about you, Ginny. If you patrol with him, your temper would get the better of you and he is bound to take advantage of that." said Colin, his face grave.

"Not to mention Ron would throw a fit if he knew you willingly let yourself get sabotaged by that ogre." said Hermione solemnly.

I cracked up. "Sabotage? _Ogre_? Hermione, you do have a way with words." I joked.

She just rolled her eyes and continued. "Even if you want to, I won't let you patrol with Flint just to avoid Malfoy. Firstly, that evil git is not worth so much trouble. Secondly, I don't want to see you dead!"

"Geez, what is it with you two? I admit, Flint could be menacing if he wanted, but he is a dunderhead in general." I said.

"Either way, Ginny, I'm not changing shifts." said Colin, crossing his arms and looking determined.

I sighed. It would be pointless to argue with Hermione over this. Besides, if I was truthful to myself, hiding from Draco Malfoy and avoiding him meant that I still gave a damn. I guess I did, but I honestly didn't want to. He was just another boy I was infatuated with. He would act like an asshole throughout the patrol and maybe, just maybe, that would make me hate him. Atleast, it would be a start.

Blondes weren't dumb. They were just plain confusing.

_Dec 4__th__ [2.30 pm]_

"Slow down, Ginny. You're eating like your brother!"

I glared at Hermione. "Li' ew a'tually min'." I uttered before gulping the food down.

She giggled. "You even sound like Ron does when he is trying to talk with his mouth full!"

"I know it turns you on when he does-" My cheeky retort was interrupted by a green eyed, bespectacled boy.

"Gin! I've booked the pitch for practice from 5 to 8." said Harry, panting slightly and taking a seat beside me. "Inform the others, will ya?"

"3 whole hours of practice!" exclaimed Hermione. "You're such a tyrant, Harry. And how are they supposed to finish their homework if you take up all their free time?"

Both of us gave her a blank look.

Snorting, I said, "Would you be really, really surprised if I told you we don't care about anything else when it comes to Quidditch?"

"How can you possibly not care?" cried Hermione indignantly.

"Not care about what?" Ron kissed Hermione's forehead and sat down beside her, immediately piling his plate with gravy, chicken, fried peas and mashed potatoes. His girlfriend stared at his plate alarmingly.

"Will you be able to finish all that, Ronald?" asked Hermione.

Harry and I snorted. After all these years, she still couldn't understand just how much my brother loved to eat.

Ron looked insulted at the question. "It's lunch time, Hermione. Ofcourse I'll be able to finish my meal."

"A'yway, wha' we'y ew guys ta'kin' 'bou?" Ron asked. Horrified, I realized that Hermione had been correct. We did sound alike when we talked with our mouths full.

"Ginny said that you Quidditch players don't care about homework." she stated. "Is that true?"

Knowing she was testing him, he gave me and Harry a look that clearly said 'just-go-along-with-my-flow-or-you'll-regret-it', and replied, "I don't know about them, but homework is definitely more important to me than Quidditch."

I couldn't have stopped the snicker that burst out of my mouth even if I had tried. Ron was such a conspicuous liar. Beside me, Harry coughed on the pumpkin juice he had been drinking. Hermione huffed and ignored us moodily after that. Knowing she would come around her anger later, we chattered about classes and teachers and how the house unity policy was making our lives hell, surreptitiously ignoring the topic of Quidditch. Neville joined us and engaged Hermione into a conversation regarding some kind of magical herb they were currently studying about in Herbology.

"Good afternoon, my fellow Gryffindors." said a languid voice from behind me.

"Luna!" Jumping up from the seat, I hugged my best friend. It seemed like ages since I last talked to her, instead of just a day. "I have sooo much to tell you."

She smiled at me, her face serene. "I can tell. You have a lot of Animus buzzing around your head, which means there is a lot in your mind."

I felt the air around my head and swatted at it, which made her smile wider. "Err, right. Let's go sit on the other side." I said, dragging her towards the end of the Gryffindor table near the door to the Great Hall.

"Don't forget, Ginny. Practice from 5 pm." Harry shouted at my retreating back.

I turned and gave him a mock-salute. "Aye aye, Captain."

Luna sat facing the other house tables and I flopped down on the chair across her. After I was done asking how the Ravenclaws were dealing with the house unity policy, I told her all that had happened in just 24 hours. I told her about Draco and the patrols, how he had talked to me after the Quidditch match and turned back to look at me in the corridor. I told her about Colin and the muggle story and how we nearly kissed. I told her about that git Flint.

"I mean, I seem to be the only one who doesn't know _why _Flint has been saying things about me!" I whined, running my fingers through my hair. "I never even spoke to him before this term."

"Lucas Flint used to have a crush on you."

"_What?_" I exclaimed, unable to believe what she just said.

"Yes. It's rather disconcerting, isn't it?" said Luna, looking amused. I, on the other hand, felt far from amusement.

"You're supposed to flirt with your crushes, not bully them!"

"He did try to capture your attention, you know. In the Great Hall, on the Quidditch pitch, at Hogsmeade. He would start boasting loudly whenever you passed him." said Luna, her voice wistful. "When you still failed to acknowledge his presence, you bruised his ego badly. The rest, as you know, is history."

Seeing the incredulity on my face, Luna patted my hand sympathetically.

"But…" I said slowly, "how come I never noticed?" If someone had gone to such lengths just to grab my attention, I would've been blind not to know.

"He had a crush on you last year. You only had eyes for one boy then." said Luna calmly.

Oh. I guess I had, indeed, been blind. Once again, I felt like smacking myself. With a club. On the head. How could I have been so so pathetically, irrevocably, unconditionally, besotted with a guy…who hadn't even liked me back? I mean, yes I knew I was less matured last year, but still! I was disgusted with myself.

"He is looking at you right now, by the way." I heard Luna say flippantly.

"Who?" I asked absently, still berating myself.

"Draco Malfoy."

My head snapped up.

"Are you sure?" I croaked.

Luna nodded.

I searched Luna's eyes to see whether she was fooling around, but then again, she wasn't that type of a person. My breathing grew erratic and my back straightened. Draco was looking at _me_?

"Still?" This time, the word was whispered.

Luna nodded again, a gentle smile gracing her lips. She didn't seem surprised at the fact that Draco Malfoy, who had never given two shits about me, was staring at my back from the other side of the Great Hall. Come to think of it, she had hardly reacted when I told her how he complimented me after the Quidditch match. If it had been Demelza or Hermione, they would've freaked out.

I guess I wasn't meant to figure out blondes.

"Oh Luna, what am I going to do?" I moaned, banging my head against the table, not caring whether a certain Slytherin saw my frustrated antics or not.

"Why would you have to do anything at all?"

Couldn't she see how much Malfoy's unexplainable behavior was affecting me? Ugh. "Luna, you know I hate not knowing what is going on. Don't you find Draco Malfoy looking my way of his own accord a _tad _bit suspicious?"

She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she cocked her head and studied me.

"Are you scared, Ginny?"

"Scared? Of what?"

"Of your feelings for Malfoy."

The question caught me by surprise. I pondered on it, not having a clue where she was headed with it.

My feelings for Draco were very complicated and the more I thought about it, the angrier I got. At myself, at him. But mostly at myself. So I had stopped thinking about it altogether and tried moving on. Did I even _want_ to keep feeling for him? I could control my actions and my mouth, pretend to not give a fuck, but my heart was another matter.

"I'm not…scared. Just, I don't know, confused, I guess." I said. My voice sounded lost to my own ears.

"I think you should do what you would've if it had been any other Slytherin." advised Luna, shrugging and looking like she hadn't been making cryptic remarks just minutes ago.

Even though Luna hadn't made me realize anything I wasn't already aware of, I still gave her a grateful smile. She didn't talk like the conventional girlfriends, for which I was really glad. And the best thing about her was, she rarely judged. For someone like me, who said and did things without thinking about it twice, she was a gem.

"Yeah, I know. I'll show him the famous f_emale_ Weasley temper." I smirked. I was back to feeling like the real Ginny Weasley, not the pitiful, ridiculous and love struck one from last year.

"That's the spirit." said Luna, an approving smile on her lips.

"So," I said, trying my best to not sound too curious, "is he still staring at me?"

The blonde looked at me knowingly. "Why don't you turn and see for yourself this time?"

Snorting, I replied, "No thanks, I'd like to keep my ego intact."

And that was the truth. I wouldn't let Draco Malfoy have the satisfaction of getting the best of me once again.

Slytherins – Could I ever understand them? Part I

_Last class of the day [4.00 pm]_

"Vane, Flint."

"Creevey, Greengrass."

"Coote, Avery."

"Robins, Bole."

"Weasley, Denali."

"Peaks, McKinnon."

"Quirke, Vecchio."

Professor Snape looked up from the scroll he had been droning on from. Pinning us down with those beady black eyes, he said, "The names I mentioned in pairs will work as partners for the project that will be assigned today."

Most of the Slytherins groaned, but we didn't make a single sound of annoyance. Snape was always looking for a reason to dock points from Gryffindors, we knew that too well.

With sullen faces, we walked towards the back of the classroom and I slammed my Potions book down on the table. If it wasn't for the fact that my ambition was to become an Auror, I wouldn't have taken Potions in my 6th year. Miraculously, I had scrapped an Exceeds Expectations on my Potions OWL. The look on Snape's face when he had seen me attending his class this year had been hilarious! Even Hermione, who used to tutor me and even went as far as calling me "as hopeless as Ron!" had been surprised beyond measure.

Only in this class, I used to partner up with Orla Quirke because she was the best at Potions in my year and was too sweet to get pissed at me every time I lit the cauldron on fire. But now, I was stuck with a Slytherin who would probably give me a hard time. Scratch that, was _bound_ to give me a hard time.

Had I mentioned how much I disliked Albus Dumbledore?

I watched my partner as he slowly made his way towards the table I had chosen. There was only onr word which described Acheron Denali perfectly – mysterious. It had been our 4th year when he had joined Hogwarts. It was the first time a student had been allowed to join the school even though he hadn't attended from the first year. From the moment he had set foot in the Great Hall, _everyone_ had been curious about him.

Acheron Denali didn't catch people's eyes because he was good looking or had a charming personality. To be honest, I don't think I had ever heard him speak! No, the reason people were fascinated with him was because he looked like a fallen angel. There was no better way to put it.

His skin was so pale and milky, it made me wonder whether it was translucent. Or whether he was an albino. Even from a distance, you could understand that his eyes weren't one of the conventional colours, it shone that brightly. His hair was so blonde it was almost white, cut in an edgy way that reminded me of the vocalist of Weird Sisters. But while the rockstar's hairdo was messy and bohemian, on Denali the cut looked graceful. As I had said, he wasn't good looking. His face was far too ethereal and otherworldly to be good looking. But one couldn't help noticing Acheron Denali when he was in the room.

"Everyone, open your books to page number 10." said Snape. "We will brew the Draught of Living Death today."

I opened my book to the mentioned page and looked for the spot where the approximate time needed for the potion to be brewed was stated. That was the first thing I did every time Snape introduced the class to a new potion. I needed to know how long my torment would last. Denali was standing beside me now, setting his book lightly on the table. I noticed he hadn't opened it yet.

"One of you will get the ingredients from the store while the other will set up the cauldron." ordered Snape.

I turned to see that most of the Gyrffindors were walking towards the store. "I'll go get the ingredients." I said hurriedly, not waiting for Denali to reply.

Taking the book with me, I walked briskly towards the cupboard containing the ingredients. Demelza and Colin stood infront of me, talking in hushed tones so they wouldn't be overheard by Snape. When Demelza noticed me, she whispered, "I've been Bole's partner for just 5 minutes and I'm already planning his murder. You're so lucky Gin, because your partner has no vocal cords!"

"I think Astoria Greengrass was trying to flirt with me." muttered Colin, his voice strained. "She kept batting her eyelashes and puckering her lips!"

Demelza and I chuckled. Now that I thought about it, I was, indeed, lucky. What if I had been partnered with Bole? Or Flint? I shuddered at that thought, sending a silent prayer of gratitude to Merlin.

My arms were laden with ingredient boxes precariously balanced on top of each other as I slowly walked towards my table. I was nearly there when the box at the top started to tilt. This box contained a bottle of liquid and if it broke, Snape would not only give me detention but would also make me scrub the floor barehanded infront of the Slytherins. I watched helplessly as the box fell.

But it never hit the floor. As Denali put the box on top of the table, I stared at him. More specifically, I stared at his hands. They were large and looked capable. If the reflex action he had just shown was any indication, he would've made a decent Quidditch player.

"I will provide a list depicting the conditions of the potion when steps haven't been carried out properly, and your assignment will be to figure out which step had gone wrong and how. Now, half of the marks from your term exams will come from this assignment, so I advise you all to take it seriously." said Snape monotonously.

Damn, that had to be the hardest assignment ever. I was pretty sure even Hermione would've gone berserk trying to figure all that out. I had no idea how I, who could barely read a chapter without falling asleep, would be able to score passing marks.

"We should get started." I said to my partner, my voice formal. Denali looked down at me and I was startled to see that his eyes were a deep purple.

"Do you want to process the ingredients or stir the cauldron?" he asked. I was even more startled at the low baritone of his voice. It had no trace of arrogance, just plain inquisition. I had thought Slytherins didn't know how to speak without being conceited pricks.

"Uhh, I'll stir." I stammered, slightly annoyed at myself for feeling muddled.

He nodded and started opening the boxes while I looked around at the other occupants of the room. Greengrass was fanning herself with the asphodel while Colin had a panicked expression on. Demelza and Bole were ferociously arguing, their cauldron forgotten. Orla Quirke stared, horrified, at her partner as he tried to juggle the sopophorous beans. I looked over at my partner again and saw that he was grinding the asphodel, which was what he was supposed to be doing. Yeah, I really was lucky.

"Hold the cauldron straight." he said, handing me a pair of large tongs. Once again, his voice held no authority or superiority. So even though it seemed wrong to follow the instruction, him being a Slytherin and all, I did what he told me to do. He opened the bottle containing the liquid and poured it steadily into the cauldron. As the wormwood hit the bottom, it sizzled and the cauldron rattled a bit.

"Is it supposed to do that?" I found myself asking.

"No, not if I had put in the asphodel first." replied Denali.

When he started to put in the asphodel, I grabbed his wrist to stop him. He looked up sharply andI let his hand go to cross my arms. "Well, why didn't you put it in first?"

He shrugged and said, "If you want to be the one working on the ingredients, by all means, be my guest."

I had started to doubt the Sorting Hat's decision on putting Acheron Denali in Slytherin, but all the doubts flew out of the window with that one sentence. His tone had been calm, almost emotionless, but only a Slytherin could evade questions with such subtlety.

"If something goes wrong with the potion, don't doubt that I'll blame it all on your head." I said haughtily.

"I wouldn't doubt that for a second." he said, his face showing emotion for the first time. He looked amused. "But considering it's _you_, Ginny Weasley, I doubt Snape would believe it is my fault."

I narrowed my eyes. "What do you mean?"

"It's no secret that you're lousy at Potions." Even though he was smirking, he didn't sound like he was making fun of me. I was so confused by his non-Slytherin behavior, I didn't have any comeback and he took that as a sign to start working on the potion again.

"Now mix the asphodel with the wormwood by stirring it 5 times in clockwise direction and 7 times in anticlockwise direction." he instructed, and once again, I did as he said. After the last stir, a bluish steam came off from the cauldron.

"Before you ask, yes, it is supposed to do that." said Denali. I looked his way to see that he was cutting the valerian roots with delicate strokes of the knife.

"You sure it's not another plan to humiliate a Gryffindor by giving the wrong directions?" I said, unable to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.

The knife about to cut a root stopped midway. "If you're that skeptic, why don't you follow the book?" he said, and then went back to cutting the roots.

For some reason, I felt like I had disappointed him. I also felt stupid for not opening the book before. That was when I noticed, Denali didn't have his book open either. When I flipped to page no. 10, I saw that all his instructions had been correct, except the one regarding wormwood and asphodel. But since the brew had given off bluish steam like it was supposed to, I guessed he had done the right thing. Grudgingly, I felt myself being impressed.

The rest of the class went by without any actual conversation. Denali processed the ingredients while I stirred the cauldron, following every word of the book thoroughly so that nothing could go wrong. Once though, I had been trying to figure out why I felt the intense need to apologize to Denali and had gotten so distracted that I raised the temperature higher than needed. For the first time, in an exceptionally long time, I had actually blushed because of my foolishness. If it had been any other Slytherin, he or she would've bullied me crazy for that one mistake. But Denali just doused the fire and told me to wait a while before lighting it again. His…kindness…was making me feel like shit.

"Your time is up. Write your and your partner's surnames on a bottle and fill it with your potion." instructed Snape when the bell rang. "You will get the questionnaire for your assignment after your submission."

Before I could look around, Denali passed a bottle to me with our surnames written on it in block letters. Avoiding his eyes, because I still felt guilty for having snapped at him before even though he had been perfectly polite, I walked up to Snape and handed him the sample.

"The submission date is on 10th, Miss Weasley." sneered Snape, motioning for me to take a paper from the stack lying on the table. "I hope you remember it. I believe your tardiness had caused the loss of a lot of house points the last time you failed to submit your project on time."

_He _believed? Ofcourse he did since _he_ was the one who had docked 50 points from me, all because I had submitted my assignment a day lately. Greasy, foul, git.

Denali wasn't there when I went back to our table to pick up my bag and once again, I felt a bit unsettled. I finally admitted to myself that I owed him an apology. The fact aside that I was a decent human being and felt completely wretched for misbehaving with someone who hadn't deserved it, he was rather bearable for a Slytherin and had been a good partner, for which I was grateful. I ran out of the classroom in haste, hoping to catch him before he left the dungeons.

When I saw the distinct colour of his hair retreating down the dungeon, I called out to him. He stopped and turned around, and I noticed another thing about Acheron Denali. He walked alone, which meant, he didn't have any friends.

Running upto him, I looked up and found myself staring into vivid amethyst eyes. "Hi." I said lamely.

He raised his eyebrows and gave me a curious look, but didn't say anything.

"I, uh, I just wanted to say that I, um…" For some reason, the apology was stuck in my throat, I couldn't get it out. I had never been good with apologies.

"I was wondering when we should start working on the assignment." I said, the words rushed.

He looked at me for a few seconds and I was taken aback by the small smile that formed on his lips. "When are you free?" he asked.

Sighing inwardly as all the guilt I felt melted away, I said, "Well, I'm free tomorrow evening. Say, let's meet at the library around 7?"

When he nodded, I gave him a genuine smile and made my way back. "I'll see you around, Denali."

I waited for Demelza outside the door, studying my cuticles. What was taking her so long? The group of Slytherins came out first and when my eyes locked with Astoria Greengrass, I sneered. Her nostrils flared but she didn't utter anything offensive as she stomped away with the other Slytherin bimbos. Good, the bitch had learned her place.

Orla Quirke was the first Gryffindor to come out of the classroom and when she saw me, she said sadly, "There's no point in waiting, Ginny. The others weren't able to finish their potion, so Snape is detaining them for the night."

"WHAT?"

"Yes. You and I were the only Gryffindors who got the work done." said Orla, looking slightly apprehensive at the maniacal expression on my face.

"But-but-he didn't-he let the freaking Slytherins go!" I was livid. That conniving, filthy, biased, _bastard_. He knew that half the Gryffindor Quidditch team was from my year and Ron was in detention as well. Oh, I was so going to have a word with McGonagall about this. Better yet, I would make sure Harry had a word with Dumbledore about Snape and his vindictive ways. Would serve the envious skunk right.

Orla patted my back sympathetically and we walked back to the Gryffindor Tower together. Crawling through the portrait hole, we stepped into the common room and I was immediately addressed by my Quidditch captain.

"Hey Gin." he said enthusiastically. I noticed that he was already wearing his jersey and robe. "Freshen up and come down to the pitch with the others soon. I've planned some new passing techniques which would need the co-ordination of the beaters as well. If we can pull it off, there will be no stopping us from winning the-"

"They are all in detention." I blurted out.

Harry stared at me, his expression changing from enthusiastic to confused, and finally dread, as the news sunk in. "What? What're you talking about?" he asked hoarsely.

"It was-it was Snape. He detained them all because they failed to finish making the potion, but the son of a bitch let the Slytherins go." I said, anger coursing through my veins at the injustice.

I waited for Harry to speak, but he stared blankly at something behind me. For a second, I honestly thought he was going to hyperventilate. So I grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "Harry? Harry! We have to go to McGonagall and report this!" I said fiercely.

Determination and anger replaced the lost look on Harry's face. "You're right, Gin. Snape has gone too far this time."

We marched towards McGonagall's office, which was situated on the first floor of the castle, fuming and cursing Snape's name. Both of us were so angry that when we ran out of all the conventional name-callings, we started making them up.

"Fang's drool."

"Quirrel's smelly turban."

"Mrs. Norris's poop."

"Vomit falvoured Every-Falvour-Bean."

"Doxy eggs."

"Pig farts."

Harry chuckled at that. "How did you come up with that one?"

Instead of answering, I just grinned. He had looked so distraught and utterly frustrated, it had felt like an accomplishment when I made him laugh. Oh, Snape was going to _pay_.

I knocked on Professor McGonagall's office door and turned the knob without waiting for her permission. As we stepped inside, she looked up from the papers she had been grading and said, "Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley, I do hope you have a solid reason for barging into my office at this hour."

"SNAPE IS TRYING TO SABOTAGE OUR QUIDDITCH TEAM!"

My eyes widened at Harry's outburst, and I had to bite my lip to prevent myself from smiling at his choice of words. A certain bushy-haired, know-it-all, Head Girl was rubbing off on him.

Professor McGonagall lowered her spectacles and looked at Harry sternly. Then she turned towards me and said, "Since Potter is unable to formulate a decent explanation, why don't you do the honors, Miss Weasley."

I took a deep breath and chose my words carefully before starting my tirade. "Professor, half the Quidditch team is from my year, as you know, and that is why Snape gave them detention tonight so that Harry would have to cancel practice."

"Miss Weasley, I'm sure that wasn't the reason he detained them. If I know Severus at all, he gave them detention because they failed to finish their potion."

"No, he gave them detention because he is a biased, smelly, toe-rag who-" I interrupted Harry before he could finish. It would do no good to antagonize McGonagall.

"No, Professor, you don't understand! Snape let the Slytherins walk away without any repercussions even though they were the ones who had made the lesson difficult." I said, making puppy-dog eyes at her.

When I saw understanding dawn on her features, I played my trump card. "Professor McGonagall, Slytherin hasn't won the Quidditch Cup since Harry joined the team. I'm sure you wont be surprised when I tell you that Snape is envious of Gryffindor's glory, but since you aren't as prejudiced as him, you've ignored his antics all along."

Taking a few steps forward, I grabbed the edges of her desk and leaned towards her. "Snape is taking advantage of your impartiality, Professor." I whispered, just for the dramatic effect.

McGonagall stayed silent, and the only way I knew she was contemplating my words was because her eyes were crinkled. She finally rose to her impressive height and said, "Go to the pitch and set up for practice. Your team mates will be joining you shortly."

With a triumphant whoop, I thanked her and turned towards Harry. He was looking at me, awestruck and speechless. Grabbing his arm, I almost ran towards the door, not wanting to waste any more time.

"Oh and, Miss Weasley?"

My mouth almost fell open when I turned to see a rare smirk on Professor McGonagall's face.

"When it comes to Quidditch, I'm rarely impartial."

Wow. My respect for my Head of House grew bigger. Who knew she could be so badass! Grinning, I thanked her once again and we made our way towards the castle ground.

"That was…that was fantastic!" exclaimed Harry. "You should be an actress, Gin!"

Laughing, I said cockily, "That would be a waste for a girl with as many talents as me, don't you think?"

"I'm serious! They way you said everything, you nearly got McGonagall wrapped around your finger! It was freaking perfect!"

"You forget, Harry. I'm the youngest, not to mention the only girl, in a family of 6 boys." I said. "If I wanted something, I had to know precisely _how_ to ask for it."

"I'm in awe of you, Ginny Weasley." said Harry seriously, making me snort.

"Are you really that surprised at my persuasion skills, Potter?" I teased. "I'm rather wounded to know you had doubts."

We were infront of the changing rooms now and I was making my way towards the girl's section when Harry pulled me into a hug. For a moment, I stood frozen on the spot.

"I'm so proud of you, Gin." he said, his breath fanning my ear. I returned his hug warmly. Even though I didn't think of him as a brother, Harry was practically family and I loved him like one. Hearing him say that made me really, really happy.

"I'm glad." I said as I pulled back. "Now go get the Quaffle and the Bludgers while I change. Can't have the rest of the team waiting on us."

"Yes ma'am." he said, saluting me like I had in the Great Hall. I rolled my eyes and shooed him away.

As I donned on the jersey and shorts, I found myself thinking of Draco Malfoy. That happened every time I was alone and left to the company of my own mind. The reason I always kept myself surrounded by people was so that my mind wouldn't stray towards unwanted thoughts of him. But now, in this rare moment of solitude, I thought of the boy I fell head over heels in love with.

Slytherins – Could I ever understand them? Part II

_8.05 pm_

"Fantastic flying, everyone!" Harry's face shone just as brightly as the nearly full moon that graced the night sky. "If we keep this kind of spirit and stamina up, I'm sure we'll kick Ravenclaw's ass!"

We all whooped to that and when our cheers died down, Demelza turned to me and said, "Once again, thanks a bunch for saving our asses from Snape. He was about to make us clean the first year cauldrons, and we all know how those stink!"

"Yeah Weasley, we all owe you one." said Ritchie Coote, thumping my back and walking away with the boys.

"Don't thank me. It was as much for my benefit as yours." I said to Demelza.

Even though everyone had been half an hour late and Ron was still absent, the practice had been a success. By the time it had ended, all of us had been sweaty and tired but fully elated. Demelza and I dumped our brooms in the broom shed and were walking towards the changing rooms when she asked, "Doesn't your patrol with Malfoy start in an hour?"

"Yes." I said, stripping off the jersey and shorts and stepping inside the shower stall. I heard Demelza do the same.

"Well? Are you nervous?" she shouted over the sound of the spraying water.

I had told Demelza about patrolling with Malfoy last night, right after I had talked to Hermione and Colin. Though she knew I was over him and all, she still expected me to have a nervous breakdown infront of him. I had assured her that nothing of that sort would happen, that I had too much self-respect and ego to just humiliate myself like that. But it seemed like she still had her doubts. And that annoyed the shit out of me.

Scoffing, I replied, "Oh please, get real. Why would I be _nervous_?"

"I don't know, maybe because you had been freaking _in love_ with that guy for a whole damn year?"

"That was last year! I've dated three guys since then." I whined. "He is like just another Slytherin now."

"If that's the case, then why were you so keen on changing your shift? It shouldn't have mattered if he is just another Slytherin to you."

My hand stopped scrubbing my back. Ok, she had me there. I could imagine the smug expression on her face right then, in the next shower stall. Clenching my eyes shut, I breathed in and then breathed out. "Is there a reason we're having this conversation, dear friend?" I made sure my tone held the right amount of sarcastic threat.

She laughed. The showerhead turned off and the door opened. I heard Demelza's soft footfalls as she made her way around the changing room. "All I'm trying to say is, I don't want to see you hurt again."

My annoyance vanished at those words and I felt guilty for the second time in 24 hours. Demelza was one of my closest friends and had only been looking out for me. If it had been any other matter, I would've talked to her openly. But since this particular matter concerned Draco Malfoy, my feelings and actions were messed up. That wasn't Demelza's fault, she was just being a good friend by trying to help me sort out my emotions.

"Thanks, Dem." I said, turning off my shower so that she could hear me. "I really appreciate your concern, but there is no reason for that. I am not going to swoon and fall at his feet!"

Laughing once more, she said, "That, I admit, is unlikely."

Feeling confident again, because I honestly had no idea whom I had been trying to convince before, I turned on the showerhead and almost moaned as the hot water engulfed me once more. It had been getting rather chilly while I talked to Demelza, stark naked, from inside the shower stall.

"Well, since I feel nothing other than complete hatred towards Slytherins," I heard Demelza shout, "give that git hell from me."

"Oh, I will." I shouted back, an evil grin on my face.

"Do you want me to wait for you?"

"Nah, I don't want you missing dinner because of me." I shouted.

"Alright, I'm off to the Great Hall." Her voice grew distant as she walked away. "See you later."

I placed my forehead against the cold wall of the shower stall and leaned away, my hands behind the back of my head. For the past 24 hours I had been obsessing about Draco Malfoy, but now that it was time to face him, I felt numb. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the patrol would be eventless and full of awkward silences. Getting myself worked up over nothing was simply pointless.

Wrapping myself with a towel, I got out of the shower stall and into the empty changing room. My uniform was inside my locker, the one with number 6 painted on it. When I noticed the golden numeral on the red steel, I grimaced. I used to wear number 9 before, but I had changed it to 6 last year because a certain Slytherin wore the same. Since it hadn't affected my performance in any way, I had forgotten all about it when this Quidditch season had started.

Making a mental note to have it changed back to number 9 before the match against Ravenclaw, I put on my uniform and dried my wet hair using my wand. The full-length mirror on the other side of the benches showed my reflection and I stared at it for a long time.

"I am Ginny Weasley, badassery personified. I had been possessed by Voldemort, fought Death Eaters and even had Fred and George Weasley conduct experiments on me. If I could survive through all that, enduring Draco Malfoy's company will be a piece of cake." I said out loud.

Flipping my hair back, I took one last look at my reflection and walked out of the changing room. With just enough time in my hand to grab a light dinner before patrol started, I made my way towards the Great Hall. As I trudged from the pitch towards the castle, I had to put a warming charm on myself, the air was that chilly. A sigh of relief escaped my lips as I finally stepped inside the castle's Entrance Hall, where the air was enchanted to remain warm throughout winter.

But my relief was short lived as I felt a large hand clasp over my mouth. Since I had been caught off guard, my self-defense mechanism kicked in lately and by the time I was screaming and scratching at my captor's hand, I had already been dragged inside the entrance to the dungeon, away from the Entrance Hall. I was slammed against the wall with such force, the pain made me black out momentarily.

"Let's see how you taunt me now, Weasley." growled my captor, and as the pain receded enough for me to see clearly, my eyes widened in shock and fear.

"Yes, you _should_ be scared, you little slut." he sneered, pressing me harder against the wall.

Lucas Flint had atleast 8 inches on my 5'7, so there was no point in struggling. My wrists were manacled with one of his freakishly large hands, making it impossible for me to reach my wand. In that moment of utter helplessness, I wasn't ashamed to admit that I was scared shitless. The hand that had been covering my mouth grabbed my chin, fingers digging into my skin.

"You think you're so high and mighty, prancing around the school like you fucking own it." he said, his voice dripping with venom. I tried to knee his groin but he moved his hips out of the way, tightening his grip on my chin. That was bound to leave a bruise.

"A whore like you needs someone to show her where her place is." He cackled sickeningly. "Good thing I'm up for the task."

"Fuck you!" I managed to spit out. No way was I getting manhandled by some sadistic son of a bitch. I head butted him, but it turned out to be effect less because a second after impact, Flint's face slammed into mine as he bit my lip so hard he drew blood. My eyes brimmed with tears as I cried out in pain.

"Wow Flint, looks like you've resorted to rape. Are you seriously that desperate?"

Taking advantage of Flint's momentary distraction at the new voice, I kicked him in the balls with all my might, eliciting a howl from the fucker. As he doubled over and moved away, I grabbed my wand and yelled, "_Incarcerous!_"

Ropes bound Flint's hands and legs together, rendering him immobile. I specifically used that spell instead of Petrificus Totalus because I knew the serrated edges of the ropes would leave their marks on the asshole's skin. Yes, I had a sadistic side to me as well.

"Nice work, Weasley."

I looked up at my savior. Blaise Zabini was staring at Flint's writhing form on the floor, an amused smirk on his lips. Though he hadn't exactly done anything to save me except provide a distraction, which might not have been intentional in the first place, I was still grateful.

"Thanks." I said, panting slightly.

Flint was throwing profanities at me, so I silenced him with another flick of my wand. Looking down at him, I said seethingly, "The only reason I won't be reporting your ass to Dumbledore is because if my brother knows about this, he will murder you. And I really don't want to see him in Azkaban."

I crouched down and punched him. When blood started to trickle down his nose, I got up with a satisfied sneer. "If you ever try to touch me again, I won't be as merciful."

Beside me, Zabini whistled. "I never knew the little Weasley has such a mean streak."

"You know now. Better spread the word among your ranks, just in case." I said sarcastically, kicking Flint once again because I could.

"Oh trust me, I will." said Zabini, laughing.

I looked at the brown skinned Slytherin beside me. Blaise Zabini had never been a part of the major bullying gang of his house. I could guess why. He was the biggest playboy at Hogwarts, so being a bully would've ruined his chances with girls of other houses. He had tried flirting with me a couple of times last year, but as Luna had stated so clearly, I only had eyes for one boy then. No one knew who his father was, but his mother had never been associated with the likes of Death Eaters. Other than his quest to sleep with every female of Hogwarts, Blaise Zabini was pretty decent for a Slytherin.

Motioning towards Flint, I said to Zabini, "You can take him to your common room or leave him here, I don't really care." With that, I started to walk towards the Entrance Hall. Now that my adrenaline rush had died down, I felt sore all over.

As if reading my mind, Zabini said, "You might wanna get yourself checked by Pomfrey."

Though I was slightly baffled at his concern, I turned around with a smirk on. "Aww, Zabini, I didn't know you cared."

He raised a black eyebrow and said cryptically, "I don't. But someone else might."

Scrunching my nose in confusion, I made my way towards the Hospital Wing. Just before I stepped inside the Entrance Hall, I looked back. Zabini had levitated Flint's thrashing body and was walking deeper into the dungeons. I guess he decided to take him back to the common room.

When I reached the Hospital Wing, I told Madam Pomfrey that I fell from a flight of stairs and was sore all over. She noticed my lips first and put a green paste on it to stop the bleeding. As she bustled in her office in search of the potion which would make the soreness go away, I sat on one of the beds plotting ways to make Lucas Flint's life a living hell.

That was when it hit me. Blaise Zabini was Draco Malfoy's best friend. There was no way he wouldn't tell him what had happened. Would he comment on it? Or would he insult me just like Flint had? I looked at the huge clock high up on the wall. Ten minutes till 9. I guess I would find out soon enough.

"Madam Pomfrey!" I shouted. "Can you give me something for the nerves as well? I think I'm in need of it."

I really was in need of it.

* * *

><p><strong>From DamnDraco:<strong>

**#** This fanfic follows the original series till Harry goes to save Sirius in The Order of the Phoenix. Harry, with the aid of Dumbledore, killed Voldemort at the Ministry. Sirius is alive. Lucius Malfoy is in prison with the rest of the Death Eaters, but since Draco and Narcissa didn't take any active part in Voldemort's campaign, they weren't accused.

**#** I've given a hint regarding a very important aspect of Draco's character that probably should have been mentioned in the summary. But where is the fun in that! Kudos to anyone who will be able to figure it out!

**#** It might seem very tacky to some readers that every guy Ginny interacts with seems taken by her. Please don't hold that against me _or_ her! Her character is vibrant and attractive and, as you will see in the next chapter, is perfect for our favourite Slytherin!

**#** To view Ginny's jammies, type in polyvore dot com then /ginnys_jammies/set?id=42412380

Loads of hugs and kisses to** DarkLady98, DesiredRomance, foreverthename, whatisfake,** **slytherinprincessofdarkness, starbabe85, 732, Katareena, icebabesfire** for reviewing and putting my story on alert. I truly love you all! 3


	3. Chapter 3

The Patrol

_Dec 4__th__ [9.30 pm]_

He was late.

I had been pacing in the prefect's meeting room on the fifth floor for the past 15 minutes, getting angry, irritated and very, very cranky as each minute passed and he still failed to show up. Why couldn't I have been the one to keep him waiting? Why was it that Draco Malfoy always got the upper hand?

Deciding it wasn't worth waiting for the bane of my existence, I stomped towards the door and swung it open forcefully, only to run smack into a hard wall. The impact knocked me to the ground and I landed on my ass with an audible thump. Groaning, I brushed the hair away from my eyes and saw that it hadn't been a wall that I had bumped into, but a chest belonging to an undeniably sexy blonde who was currently looking down at me with his trademark smirk. I sighed inwardly. So much for telling Demelza that I wouldn't fall at his feet.

"Alright down there, Weaslette?"

My eyes narrowed at his use of the disdainful nickname and I raised my chin with a defiant look. "No, thanks to you Fartface." I said, standing up gracefully and pushing past him. When my shoulder brushed his chest, I felt the area of contact tingle and quiver. Behind me, he let out a strangled sound.

"Fartface? Weasley, you enlighten me with your articulate vocabulary." he said, catching up with me easily. Damn his long legs.

"That was supposed to annoy you, not amuse you." I muttered grumpily, quickening my pace.

"Slow down, Weasley. What's the rush?"

His lazy drawl sent shivers up my spine, making it hard to breathe steadily. I hated how my body reacted to his presence. Absolutely hated it.

"_What's the rush?_ In case you haven't noticed, we're freaking half an hour late for patrol because of your tardiness." I exclaimed, throwing a glare his way. Less than 5 minutes in his company and I was already acting like a drama queen. Merlin, help me.

He shrugged. "I'm a busy man."

Scoffing, I said, "Really? Let me guess, been busy shagging those bimbos of your house?"

"It's really none of your fucking business, Weasley."

That did it. I was Ginny Weasley. I never took shit from anyone and I wasn't about to start from now. Draco Malfoy might've been the love of my life once, but I wouldn't let him get away with insulting me at every chance he got. I wouldn't let him take advantage of my inability to think properly when he was around.

"Look, Malfoy." I sneered, the words coming out in a heated rush as I turned to face him. "I don't like you, and you sure as hell don't like me. This patrol will probably be purgatory for us, but guess what? We have to deal with it, atleast for the time being."

Taking a step closer to him, I crossed my arms and looked straight at his steel grey irises. "I suggest you keep on leash on that insolent tongue of yours or else I won't be held responsible for what happens to it." I threatened menacingly.

I knew I was overreacting, but there was no other way I could deal with the situation. His presence made me feel awkward, edgy and horribly insecure. I thought I could feign nonchalance and disinterest tonight, but I had been so wrong. Though I wasn't foolishly declaring my undying love, he still made me feel. Anger, exasperation, dejection, arousal. Yes, arousal. Even now, as he stared at me with those harshly insidious eyes, I felt my body burn for his touch.

The words that came out of his mouth made me want to slap the smirk right of his face.

"Been practicing that speech for a while, haven't you?"

My nostrils flared. Did anything ever faze him? Snorting indignantly, I replied, "No Malfoy, it came naturally." Yes, I was determined to have the last word.

Without waiting to see whether he followed or not, I marched towards the Astronomy Tower. The schedule stated that we had to finish patrolling the Tower and the Greenhouse by 10.30 pm. Considering we were already half an hour late and our destinations were at two ends of the castle, I guessed it was going to be a long night.

I had taken only a couple of steps when he said, "Weasley, the Greenhouse is this way."

"I know that, Malfoy. But we're going to the Astronomy Tower first."

"No, we're going to the Greenhouse first."

I gritted my teeth in frustration. "_No_, we're going to the Tower first because it's closer."

"We're going to the Greenhouse first because I said so."

What an arrogant, conceited prick! Letting out an outrageous cry, I said, "I don't give a flying fuck about what you say!"

"That really doesn't matter since you're going to have to listen to me anyway." he said haughtily, crossing his arms over his chest. The motion stretched his shirt over his chest, defining every inch hard inch. I gulped and willed myself not to stare.

"You're completely delusional if you think I'll ever-"

"Look, Blaise is screwing Su Fawcett's brains out in the Astronomy Tower right now." he said, his tone flippant.

"What!" I exclaimed, clearly appalled at the sudden, inappropriate news.

"Blaise Zabini and Su Fawcett are screwing in the Astronomy Tower. You know, banging, fucking, shagging, having-"

"I get the picture!" I cried out, blushing. Merlin, why did he have to sound so freaking sexy saying those words?

"Yes, well, I really don't want to see them while they're at it and I'm pretty sure you don't either."

When I didn't reply immediately-I was too stunned by the information-he smirked and said, "If you're into voyeurism, Weasley, I'll have you know, Blaise doesn't mind putting up a show. So you're free to go and peep."

"I'm not a voyeur!" I said through clenched teeth.

"Then we should start for the Greenhouse now. We've already wasted too much time because of your stupidity." he said, turning his back to me as he started to walk towards the staircases.

It wasn't as easy for me to catch up with him since his strides were much longer than mine. When I did, I said, "Because of _my _stupidity? Enlighten me, Malfoy. How was_ I_ being stupid?"

He looked down at me. Our eyes met and I quickly looked away before I drowned in those icy orbs.

"You should've listened to me the first time I told you to start with the Greenhouse." he said simply, like it had been foolish of me to even ask.

"And you should've mentioned that it was because your best buddy is frolicking in the Astronomy Tower." I said scathingly.

"Why would I have to? Even if we didn't have a reason to avoid the Tower, we would still be going to the Greenhouse simply because _I said so_." he retorted arrogantly.

I snorted. "_You_ would still be going to the Greenhouse. _Alone_. I would be on my way to the Astronomy Tower because _I wanted to_."

He probably had a snarky reply to that but before he could voice it, the staircase we were currently standing on started to move and rise up. My eyes widened in alarm, not because I was scared, but because we would have to walk all the way from the 7th floor to the Greenhouse if we followed the course of this staircase. Draco must've thought the same because the next thing I knew, he jumped down and landed on the next flight of stairs, which remained stationary.

"Weasley, quick!" he said, beckoning me with his outstretched arms.

I knew that I didn't have time to contemplate the situation because the longer I stalled, the farther I would have to jump. So I closed my eyes and leaped. Strong hands caught me around my waist while I was still midair. I clutched his shoulders to stop myself from toppling both of us with my weight, but I realized that wasn't really necessary when I felt the firm grip on my waist. I realized that my feet weren't touching the floor, that I was being supported completely by him. I also realized we were as close to each other as two bodies could get with their clothes on. I was as close to Draco Malfoy as I had ever been before. Through all these heart-stopping realizations, my eyes remained shut.

* * *

><p><strong>Draco's POV<strong>

I inhaled her scent into my lungs as she grabbed my shoulders to gain momentum. Kiwis and sunshine. She smelled of luscious kiwis and summer. We were so close, I could feel her short breaths on my neck and her soft breasts against my chest. The grip I had on her waist tightened involuntarily when a small tremor wracked through her. She might not _like_ me anymore, but I wasn't fooled, she was still attracted to me. Ignoring the slight thrill that realization brought, I made up my mind. I was going to take advantage of the lust she felt for me.

* * *

><p>"Uhh, thanks." I stammered, pushing away from the vise of his arms.<p>

He didn't reply, just quirked his eyebrows in that arrogant manner of his. Anger coursed through me once again when I realized I was letting myself become that love-sick puppy from last year. The feeling of being in Draco Malfoy's arms would haunt me for days, an example to remind me that I couldn't let my guard down around him.

We walked side by side down the next flight of stairs but I made sure there was more than three feet's distance between us. Neither of us made an effort to strike up a conversation, and that was fine by me. I needed the silence to gather my thoughts. We were on the third flight of stairs when I remembered something.

"I thought Su Fawcett was dating Kevin Whitby." I hadn't meant to say that out loud and now I felt like an idiot for stating such a flimsy thing.

Draco gave me a sardonic look and said, "I don't know, I don't care. Apparently, neither does Fawcett."

"Well, I hope Zabini is prepared because if Kevin ever found out, he would hex Zabini's man parts to pieces." I said.

He snorted. "I don't think so. That pansy-ass doesn't stand a chance against Blaise, magically or physically."

"I wouldn't be completely sure about that." I said, imagining Kevin Whitby and Blaise Zabini in a physical confrontation. "Kevin is rather fit."

"What, you lusting after that Ravenclaw twat now? I thought you had the hots for Creepy Creevey."

Had I just imagined the look of irritation on his face? I must've, because his voice had been completely toneless. That itself riled me up to no end.

"Malfoy, who I have the 'hots' for is none of your fucking business." I said, quoting his words from earlier with smugness.

A few seconds went by. "Touché, Weasley."

Utterly surprised, I looked at him. I had expected an equally insulting retort, not an acknowledgement. He was smirking slightly, and once again his masculinity hit me full force.

Merlin, he was so freaking beautiful. The halo of blonde hair shone like a diamond under the candlelight, illuminating his pale skin. This time, I couldn't have stopped myself from staring even if I tried. He was around 6 ft tall, with long limbs and a wide bone structure. He wasn't buff, but he had just the right amount of muscles to keep his body toned. High cheekbones, a sharp aristocratic nose, the pointed chin and that sleek blonde hair all together gave him a regal appearance. It should have been illegal for a boy to look this good.

"Take a picture, Weasley. It'll last longer."

Mortification wracked through me when he caught me staring at him. Before I made a complete fool of myself by blushing, I pulled myself together and scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself, Malfoy. You're not _that _special."

"Weasley, you're so desperate to have the last word, you're making me feel too good about myself." he said, his tone too knowing for my peace of mind.

Oh, he thought he saw right through me? Well, he did, but there was no way I would let him have the satisfaction of knowing that. Flipping my hair, I said sweetly, "Making you feel good about yourself, am I now? Well, let me assure you, that wasn't my intention at all."

I smirked then. "You see, I just love the sound of my own voice."

He let out an amused snort. "That was a very _Slytherin_ answer."

"Don't insult me, Malfoy. I'm a Gryffindor to the core." I said, tilting my chin up in a show of pride.

"Really? Well, isn't it against a Gryffindor's morals to fall hopelessly in love with a Slytherin?"

His words momentarily crashed my bravado and the wall of feigned disinterest I had built around me. It became too hard to take the next breath so I just held it. Knowing my steps would falter, I stopped walking and stood at the end of the staircase. I had known he would bring up the topic of my obsession with him, it would've been a miracle if he hadn't. I also knew there would be no way of getting around it with my ego intact once he voiced the past. But knowing and experiencing were two completely different scenarios, and so were how one dealt with them.

To be honest, I couldn't hate him for bringing the topic up. He did have a point. How could I have fallen for him? He lived up to his title of the Prince of Slytherin, being snarky, obnoxious and a complete prat most of the time. But he also had a sense of humour which was witty and sarcastically funny, and he carried himself with an air of confidence which was both envious and respectable at the same time. Not to mention he was ridiculously good looking and could be very persuasive and charming when he wanted to be. It had been those traits of his which drew me in and made me fall head over heels in love. But I couldn't defend myself by praising him. Neither could I defend myself by denying that I had once been in love with him. So I would have to improvise.

As the silence stretched, I saw his head turn sideways as if to say something. When he realized I wasn't beside him, he stopped walking and turned to face me. A blonde eye brow rose in inquisition. I cleared my throat, hoping my voice didn't sound weak and squeaky when I spoke.

"Malfoy, if you were talking about how I was in lo-into you last year, well, it was a case of bad judgment on my part."

Surprise flitted across his eyes and I guessed he hadn't expected me to address the matter so frankly. Even I was slightly astonished at my boldness. Though what I said wasn't entirely true, the fact that I was able to defend myself gave me the confidence boost I needed to go on with the façade.

"A case of bad judgment?" he repeated, his eyes slightly narrowed, whether in confusion or curiosity, I had no way of knowing. "Do elaborate."

So it was curiosity. Straightening my spine, I flipped my hair and strode towards him in a lazy pace. I wanted him to think that this conversation was having no effects whatsoever on me.

"You see, I used to think that you were much more than just a pretty face. That the superiority complex you have was just an act to please your father."

We stood facing each other in the middle of the Entrance Hall, the chandelier above us lighting the room in a soft glow. Draco's jaws were clenched, as if he was holding something in. Before he could interrupt with a sarcastic retort, I quickly continued.

"I used to think there was more to you than it met the eye, and led myself to believe that you were worth wasting time on." I said, and then scoffed. "I was _so_ wrong on all accounts. Thus, it had been a case of bad judgment."

Without another word, I walked around him and out of the castle. The chilly air hit me full force as I left the sanctuary of the castle's walls and stepped onto the ground, making me take out my wand and put the strongest warming charm I could produce on myself. Striding along the paved walkway that led to the Greenhouse, I mentally applauded myself for the fantastic way in which I had handled the confrontation. With the meticulous explanation I had given, I'm pretty sure I sew all the loopholes that he could've taken advantage of to insult me.

The walkway curved and I could see the structure of Greenhouse Two ahead of me. I hated patrolling the Greenhouses, the dampness and the musty smell of various plants made me slightly nauseated. But being a prefect meant you could never skive off patrols, unless it was a life and death situation.

"Do you plan to work at the Judiciary Department of the Ministry, Weasley?"

I jumped a foot in the air at the unexpected drawl. Whirling around, I saw that Malfoy stood a few steps behind me, his hands thrust deep inside the pockets of his robes. There had been no sound of footsteps as I had made my way from the castle to the Greenhouse, so I had naturally assumed he was still inside the castle, cursing my name and what not. I had no idea he had been walking behind me all along.

Panting slightly from the sudden jump, I gave him a perplexed look. "Excuse me?"

"After you graduate, do you plan to make your way into the Wizengamot?"

"Err, no not at all." I said, scrunching my nose in confusion. Where had that even come from?

"Good." he said, walking towards me casually, his face giving no indication about his motive for asking that question.

He stopped right in front of me and leaned down so that we were cheek to cheek, and I instantly stiffened at his sudden proximity. A shudder wracked through me when I felt his cold breath on my ear, and I prayed to Merlin that Draco would think of it as a result of the freezing winds.

"You would make one lousy and very incompetent judge, considering all the misconceptions you had about me."

He rose to his full height, smirked down at me and made his way towards the Greenhouse. This time, I was the one left standing, alone and speechless, unable to formulate a single comeback. Draco Malfoy was such a conundrum. I honestly thought I had hit a nerve with my little speech in the Entrance Hall, made him feel inferior even if it was for a few seconds. Apparently, I had been wrong once again.

He knew he was a self-centered, egotistical prat and he embraced his negativities wholeheartedly. He probably even reveled in the fact that he had a reputation of being a complete and utter asshole. Calling him names was probably the same as giving him compliments. How he achieved such level of arrogance, I had no idea. Could one ever get the upper hand with a being like him? Sighing, I shook my head in frustration.

"Weasley, are you coming or what?" I heard him shout. "We don't have all night."

"Oh now he is concerned about the time." I muttered, stomping towards his silhouette.

For some reason, he stood still at the doors of Greenhouse One and I couldn't help but say sarcastically, "Waiting for the lady, Malfoy? Since when have you been so chivalrous?"

He quirked his eyebrows and darted his eyes around. "Lady? I don't see any lady, Weasley. Do you?" he said, smirking in that annoyingly self-satisfied way.

I glared at him and pushed at the door, only to be met by resistance. I turned the knobs again but it still didn't budge. My forehead wrinkled in confusion.

"Its locked." drawled Draco.

"I got that, Captain Obvious." I said, slightly annoyed at his lack of reaction. Professor Sprout knew that prefects were scheduled to patrol Greenhouse One and Two tonight, so the doors being locked was strange.

Then I gave Malfoy a disbelieving look. "Well, are you a wizard or not?" I said, drawing my wand out and tapping the lock on the door. Nothing happened. I tried it again, this time saying _Alohomora_ out loud instead of reciting it non-verbally.

I looked at the door, dumbfounded, as it remained locked. Beside me, he said, "Funny, looks like your little trick isn't working."

Did that smirk ever leave his face? Merlin, he was insufferable.

Biting my lip, I pointed my wand at the lock and said, "_Finite Incantatem_."

I gave him a triumphant smirk of my own when I heard the click of the lock being opened. He didn't look surprised, just made a show of clapping mockingly at my victory. Annoyance flared inside me once again. It had been easier to bear his presence when I was desolately in love with him.

Grabbing the knob, I pushed the door open and entered the Greenhouse. The earthy smell of damp soil mixed with the muskiness of various plants immediately assailed my nose, making me cough. Once again, if it hadn't been for the fact that I wanted to be an Auror, I wouldn't have taken Herbology. Charms, Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts were my areas of expertise, but Potions and Herbology were needed for the Auror Training so I had no other option but to study those two.

I strode down the bricked pathway inside the Greenhouse, my eyes darting here and there to look for any sign of unnatural movement. My peripheral vision showed that Draco had taken the other pathway, putting dense rows of bushy and leafy magical plants between us. Greenhouse One wasn't as big as the other two so it wouldn't take long for us to search the place and continue with the patrol.

Tiredness was coursing through me as the events of the day took their toll on my body, and I found myself becoming grateful to Zabini once again. Because of his wayward libido, I wouldn't have to trudge all the way up to the Astronomy Tower tonight and dock points from horny 4th years collaborating in orgies.

"Psst! Weasley!"

The abrupt whisper caused my eyes to jerk up. Draco was standing near the end of his pathway, where it curved and joined mine, and as my steps brought me closer to him, the sly expression on his face came into light. With his thumb, he pointed at the direction of the storage room to my right, his grey eyes sparkling with mischief. I raised an eyebrow in confused inquisition, trying not to reveal my surprise at his sudden show of emotion.

His footfalls didn't make a single thud as he walked to the storage room and pressed his ears against the closed door, motioning for me to do the same. When all I did was stare him, confounded by his unusual behavior, the grey eyes rolled.

Distancing himself a bit from the door, he hissed, "Weasley, get your ass infront of the door right now."

My eyes narrowed. I had started to believe he had some humane qualities, but then he just had to open his mouth and act like the domineering asshole he was. Crossing my arms, I started to say, "And why should I-"

"_Ssh!_"

Alright, he was being completely out of character now. At my incredulous look, he huffed and silently beckoned me towards him once again. This time, I went because my curiosity was piqued. What was going on behind that door?

As both of us leaned against the door, our ears and palms pressed to the wood, I hated to admit that Draco Malfoy looked adorably cute in that position.

Not that it mattered to me or made any difference. I was just stating facts.

"_Mmm, _do that again-aah!-_oh yeaaah_…"

My eyes widened as I heard the moans coming from inside the storage room. Beside me, Draco was snickering softly, as if he found the situation funny. Well, I failed to see the humour anywhere. Infact, I was highly annoyed.

There were times I used to wonder why the teachers made prefects patrol the Greenhouses because it seemed absurd to me that students would bother to sneak in here in the middle of the night, get down and dirty on foliages that could literally bite their asses. As it would appear now, the teachers were more insightful of the teen mind than we gave them credit for.

I could understand the attraction of the Astronomy Tower. An open balcony under the starry night sky, far away from all the House dorms and teacher's rooms, who wouldn't want to take advantage of all that. But the Greenhouses? Might as well make out in Hagrid's hut!

I took my wand out, intending to blast the door off its hinges and give the insensible 4th years inside a mouthful about bad hygiene, when I felt a cold hand cover my opened lips and push me sideways, away from the door.

"Let the girl orgasm, Weasley." whispered the blonde Slytherin. "You can bash them when they're done."

I had to exercise iron-control on my lungs so that I didn't start panting at the feel of his hard fingers on my lips. Merlin was probably punishing me for sins I must've committed in the past life, my redemption coming in the form of making myself immune to Draco Malfoy's immense sexual appeal. I bit my lip to stop the sudden tingling in the soft flesh as he took his hand back.

"Well, I'm not going to stand here and wait for them to screw their brains out." I gritted out, marveling at my ability to actually form a sentence.

He was still standing in my personal space, assaulting me with the smell of expensive cologne and something that was primitively male and completely _him_. I would recognize this sexy combination of his scent anywhere in the world.

"You don't have to. They'll be out in 3 minutes 42 seconds"

My eyebrows rose and I snorted at the surety in his words. "Are you trying to be funny, Malfoy?"

Instead of replying right away, he dropped his head and leaned down, fanning the edges of my bangs with his breath.

"You should take my word on these things, Weasley." he whispered, lips forming a risqué smirk. "There is a reason I've earned the title of Sex God."

Oh dear Heavens, please don't let me moan.

The obvious title holder should've been Blaise Zabini, considering all the girls he had screwed, but no, Draco Malfoy was known as the ultimate Sex God of Hogwarts. It's not like Zabini wasn't hot. Infact, if I was completely honest, he was immensely good-looking. But sexual appeal oozed from every pore of Draco's skin, making him so freaking sexy that some girls swooned when he was around. Not that I blamed them.

If I chose to believe all the gossip one heard in the girl's bathroom, Draco was a very generous lover, always striving to take care of the girl first. One night with him completely ruined you for any other guy. Ofcourse, all these were only true if I chose believe it, because contrary to popular belief, only a very few girls had slept with him. He wasn't as easy as Zabini, which made him all the more desirable and sought after, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't the tiniest bit jealous of those girls who had the 'honour' of knowing Draco's touch.

I would be lying if I said I didn't want to jump his bones right now, this very instance, as he leaned towards me with that diabolical smirk. I would be lying if I said that my heart didn't start to beat faster every time he drew near, that I never felt a tingling sensation in my stomach every time he uttered a dirty word.

Despite the arousal that tightened my stomach, I feigned nonchalance and challenged, "Yeah? I think you overestimate your 'talents', Malfoy."

Something shifted in those icy gray eyes, making a shiver crawl up my spine. I got the distinct feeling that I had struck a chord, crossed a line with my words. His lips formed a hard line as he whispered through gnashed teeth, "Are you questioning my expertise in bed, little Weasel?"

Eyes narrowed at his use of the degrading nickname, I whispered back menacingly, "I don't _care_ about your expertise, Ferret boy."

Chuckling darkly, he said. "I'm really looking forward to see how long you can pretend that you aren't attracted to me."

My jaw dropped and eyes widened at his words. I prided myself at being able to hide my emotions, but it seemed like Draco Malfoy could see through me every time I tried to feign what I was feeling. Fucking hell, was I really that transparent?

As if he had just read my mind, he smirked. "Yes Weasley, I know you want me."

I stood immobile as his head bent sideways and he whispered diabolically into my sensitive ears, "You want me bad."

The door to the storage room opened before I could deny his claim, a giggling girl coming out of it, adjusting her skirt and swatting at a male hand. They were yet to notice us, so I took that time to compose myself and didn't dare look at Draco. I was afraid that he would see the warring emotions in my eyes and rub it in later.

"Looks like fidelity is the one concept Ravenclaws aren't aware of."

At Draco's mocking drawl, I noticed that the girl was a 5th year Hufflepuff and the guy was-

"Kevin?" I asked, even though it was obvious that the brown-haired figure infront of me was none other than the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain.

When Kevin just stared at me with a peculiar expression on his face, I sighed. It was obvious that he had never been caught fooling around by prefects. Turning towards the younger girl, who looked like she'd rather to be at any other place in the world, I said sternly, "You have 5 seconds to get out of here before I start docking points."

She practically scrambled towards the door, Kevin following closely behind. I snapped a hand sideways to block his path, tsking and saying "Not so fast, you."

"Oh c'mon, Ginny." he said, waving his hand in the air in a way that indicated that I was being foolish to stop him. "Are you honestly going to dock points from _me_?"

"I haven't decided yet. But that doesn't mean you're not about to get an earful."

Placing my hands on my hips, I gave him an austere look that even made my father fidget at times. "Kevin Whitby, haven't you learned _anything_ during the time we had been together?"

Yes, he was the Ravenclaw I had dated for a while during the start of the year. 'Dated' was a misnomer considering all we did was made out and had fun. Even though our 'relationship' hadn't ended that well because I had refused to become serious about it, the fact that he forgot about all the moral lessons I had given him so easily irked me.

Ignoring the sharp look Draco sent my way, I continued to speak, making Kevin wince. "I mean, seriously? The Greenhouse? I thought we had agreed that this place is for people who just hit puberty and have no idea how to handle their kinks."

To that, Draco coughed dramatically and said, "No wonder he is here."

I suppressed a giggle as Kevin glared at him, to which he merely raised his eyebrows.

"Not everyone shares your sentiments regarding empty classrooms on the 5th floor, Ginny." said Kevin petulantly.

Alright, that had been completely uncalled for. So I disliked fooling around anywhere except deserted classrooms, preferably on the 5th floor because it was closer to the Prefect's bathroom. Big-fucking-deal. If it irritated him so much, I was lucky to have broken things off with him before it got too messy. Considering he was cheating on his girlfriend-the fact that she was doing the same didn't make any difference-I was really lucky.

"Then everyone is too desperate to function." I said, shaking my head in disapproval.

"Well, if you're done giving me an earful," he said, air quoting the last word, "can I leave now?"

"Ofcourse you can, darling." I said sweetly. "20 points from Ravenclaw, though."

"What!" Kevin exclaimed. Taking two steps towards me, he said angrily, "You cant-you don't have the authority to do that!"

"Trust me, Whitby. She does."

I had forgotten all about Draco Malfoy's presences, so his amused drawl startled me and my eyes involuntarily drifted towards him. Hips leaning against one of the tables used for experimenting, he had one of his legs bent and arms crossed loosely. With the lazy stance and that tiny smirk of superiority which always graced his lips, he looked quite delectable.

_Oh God, Ginny. You don't like him, remember? That means you're not supposed to associate words like 'delectable' with him._ I mentally chastised myself.

"Infact," Draco continued to say, his smirk widening "so do I. 20 more points from Ravenclaw."

Taking in both of our gaping expressions, he shrugged and said, "I thought the Hufflepuff chick was too young."

Kevin, who obviously didn't have enough balls to argue with Draco, turned to me menacingly. As if it was my fault that the Slytherin had docked points from him.

"You know, Weasley, I can't wait to kick Gryffindor's ass in the Quidditch finals." he said, sneering in a way that was very unbecoming of him.

I scoffed. "That's not happening, and you know it."

It was rather sad that we wouldn't be on first-name basis anymore, but just as the fact registered on my mind, I realized that it didn't matter to me.

"What I know is, I'm going to enjoy seeing your pride and high-handedness crumble as Ravenclaw sweeps the Quidditch Cup right out of your grasp."

"In your dreams, Whitby. Only in your dreams." I said, smirking. His childish show of self-confidence was starting to amuse me.

"You're such a-"

"Stop wasting my time by wasting hers, Whitby." interrupted Draco, his voice tinged with bored irritation. "I have better things to do than listen to your petty threats."

With one last look of contempt directed at both of us, Kevin stomped past me and out of the Greenhouse. I sighed inwardly at his retreating back. In the course of just a few hours, I had discovered firsthand what boys were capable of when their egos were bruised.

"Your new taste in boys is downright filthy, Weasley."

I whirled around to face the bane of my existence. "_Excuse me?_" Had he just said that? No, he couldn't possibly have said that.

Thrusting his hands inside his trouser pockets, Draco raised one eyebrow. "You heard me."

"Yes, I did." I admitted. "I just couldn't believe your sheer audacity in saying as much."

Though I tried really hard to prevent it, I felt butterflies in my stomach at the sound of his laughter. Merlin, he had a beautiful laugh, all masculine and carefree. I could listen to him laugh for hours at a time and never grow tired of it.

_Great. I'm starting to sound like a muggle poet now. _I thought bleakly.

"What's so funny, Malfoy?" I asked, irritated and slightly perturbed by his unabashed laughter.

Giving me an amused smirk, he answered, "You are."

Considering that was been the last thing I had expected him to say, it took a while for my brain to register his words, and when it did, my mouth fell open. After a few moments though, my jaws snapped shut as anger coursed through my veins, firing my blood. The arrogant, despicable asshole was making fun of me.

Eyes narrowed, I pulled my wand out and stepped closer. He glanced at the piece of wood-which was now pointed at his chest-and then back up at me, his face showing no reaction to my offensive stance. He didn't even take out his own wand, which implied he hardly considered me a threat, and thus was a blatant insult.

"You're getting on my nerves, Malfoy." I sneered. "Don't even think for a moment that I won't curse you to the moon and back if you don't keep your overbearing mouth shut."

Instead of faltering his calm expression, my fierce words brought a blazing smirk to his lips, and once again I wondered what it was that scared Draco Malfoy. Dumping a Boggart infront of him was probably the only way I could know, but let's face it, that wasn't happening anytime this decade.

"What's gotten your panties in a twist, hmm?" he said, looking at me with mock-pity. "The fact that I affect you so much?"

I knew he was just pushing my buttons, that I shouldn't take the bait, but I had to let him know that I honestly didn't care about him anymore, even though that wasn't completely true. So there was only one thing left for me to do.

With a swish of my wand, the mud pots situated just above Draco's head burst open with a loud crack, shrouding him in soil. He jumped with a surprised gasp, and then let out a short yell of disgust as the soil hit his face and rolled down his shirt.

"_What the fuck!_"

Smirking evilly, I said, "The only thing you affect is my temper, Malfoy. And now you know it's not a good thing."

He was sputtering soil from his mouth, one pale hand rubbing at his lips while the other ruffled furiously through his hair to get rid of all the dirt. For a second, I felt guilty at having done what I had just done, but the tiny remorse disappeared and was replaced by apprehension when he advanced towards me vehemently.

"That was a wrong move, little Weasel." he sneered, backing me until I hit the rows of plants at the center of the Greenhouse. The thorny stems bit at my spine, but I refused to let that back me down.

Jabbing my wand into his throat, I said fiercely, "If you so much as lay a hand on me, Malfoy, I will make you regret the day you were born."

With lightning fast speed, he grabbed my wand from my grasp and threw it sideways, making me gasp in outrage as it clattered to the ground with a red spark.

"I'd like to see you try." he dared me.

"Malfoy!" I screeched. "Are you fucking daft? You could've broken my wand!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Weasley." he said scathingly. "I forgot you can't afford another one."

Even as furious anger spread through me, a small part of my brain registered the fact that the blond was finally acting like himself. Throughout the course of the patrol, he had been saying things which-though still attributing to his personality-were a bit tame by his standards. It had been constantly throwing me off guard and messing with my peace of mind. By making the insulting comment about my financial status though, he was back to being his old narcissistic, despicable self, and I was back to feeling like I should. Like a Weasley should when in presence of a Malfoy.

I pushed at his chest with all my might, and what should have made him fall and land on his arse only succeeded in making him stumble back. Considering the odds were in his favour, what with me being wand less and definitely not having any physical advantage, I probably shouldn't have pushed him. But then again, what did I have to lose at this point? Knowing him, he would be taking out his own wand any second to curse me, so it was only fair that I fought for whatever dignity I had left.

Without giving him time to take out his wand, I pushed him again, targeting his abdomen this time. He gripped my wrists tightly as he stumbled once more, the momentum making me crash into his chest. When we regained our balance, I tried to step away from him but he held on to my wrists, preventing me from escaping his clutches.

"You really shouldn't have done that." he whispered through gritted teeth.

The underlying tone of darkness in his voice, coupled with his taut features and blazing eyes made panic slither down my spine. Surely he would retaliate, but what was he going to do? As if to answer my question, the hands that held my wrist let go, only to push my shoulders so hard I hurtled backwards and into the rack of plants. The thorns stabbed into my back as I landed on them with force, making me shriek out in pain.

"Shit." I heard him swore. "_Fuck_."

Like that could undo what he had just done.

* * *

><p><strong>Draco's POV<strong>

I hadn't meant to push her so hard. I hadn't meant to push her at all.

It was her fault, to be honest. Taunting me throughout the patrol with her catty remarks and pretending like she wasn't attracted to me, it was a wonder my control had taken so long to snap. My objective had been to rattle her up a bit, and then take advantage of her disoriented state to make her admit that she still wanted me. It would've made it so much easier for me to seduce her.

But in my anger, I had forgotten all about my overly superior strength and watched in horror as she practically flew at my meager push and landed on a bush of thorns. When she let out a cry of pain, the blood drained out of my face.

"Shit." How could I have done that? How could I have let myself lose control like that? "_Fuck._"

I stood there like an imbecile, unable to move or do anything as I watched her try to get up but fail because the blasted thorns dug into her palms. At her second cry of agony though, I sprang into action.

"Weasley, don't move." When the stubborn redhead didn't stop fidgeting, I ordered once again, "Lie still."

"Easy for you to say." she gasped out, and then whimpered as I carefully extracted her palms from the thorny plants. "You're not the one lying on a freaking bed of thorns."

I had to give her credit for the tough act. Any other girl would be too busy screaming and thrashing and praying to Merlin for mercy, but this one wasn't even crying even though it was clear that the thorns were inflicting a lot of pain. Perhaps it was sheer pride and willpower that stopped the tears from falling, perhaps her tear glands were missing because now that I thought of it, I had never seen her cry. Either way, I felt a grudging respect for her.

"It'll make my task easier"-she tried to use my arms as leverage to pull herself up but lost her balance and rolled sideways, whimpering once again-"_if you just stop moving_."

What was she, a masochist? Or was so she reluctant to accept my aid that she would willingly endure the pain? That thought made me gnash my teeth in anger. Here I was, trying to redeem my actions by helping her when I could just leave her here to rot between the thorns.

A tiny voice in my head whispered that I wouldn't have been able to abandon her in this helpless state even if I had wanted to, that what I had done just before joining her in the patrol was a clear example of it, but I refused to acknowledge that voice.

Ignoring her flinches, I snaked an arm around her waist and gently pulled her to her feet. She was trembling slightly, and my gut clenched at the sight of the rivulets of blood that ran down her palms. I had to remind myself that there was no reason for me to feel guilty. If she hadn't pushed me first, she could've saved herself from this mess.

As much as I hated to admit it, our proximity didn't go unnoticed by me. Even through the layers of her clothing, I could feel the curves of her waist and the urge to glide my hands upwards and span the width of her body was strong, but I tamped it down. My body reacted to her softness, to her enticing fruity smell, but I wouldn't let primal impulses overtake my common sense, which screamed at me to put her out of touching distance before I ended up doing something stupid.

Something stupid like nuzzling the arch of her neck to see whether she smelled like kiwis everywhere.

"You can get off me now, Malfoy." she gritted out, snapping me out of my fantasies.

I had to stop myself from pushing her back into the depths of those thorns right then. Ungrateful wench. The least she could do was show some gratitude.

Even though I wasn't holding her anymore, she still stood on the same spot, staring at her hands as if they were alien to her. I scrutinized her face, looking for any signals of an upcoming hysteria. Girls tended to go into shock at the sight of their own blood sometimes, so it was best to prepare oneself for the nausea attack they had.

But she befuddled me with her actions. Jutting her chin upwards, she let out a whoosh of breath and then turned towards me gingerly, leveling our gazes. I knew she would start accusing me of causing her bodily harm and so I steeled myself for the exhausting argument that was about to begin, when she walked past me and bent on wobbly legs to pick up her wand. Slack jawed, I watched as she slowly made her way towards the door without a single word or glare.

Was this the same Ginny Weasley who had been sparring with me throughout the night?

Much to my irritation, I found myself calling out to her. "Weasley!"

Her slow pace halted. "What now, Malfoy?" she asked coldly, turning her head a fraction to the side, not bothering to face me.

I felt like a wuss for not answering immediately. To be honest, I don't know why I had stopped her from leaving. The night hadn't gone the way I had planned, thanks to her apparent 'resistance' to my charms. Not that I had been charming in the first place. Once again, it was completely her fault. Somehow, she brought out the worst in me with her smartass retorts and cheekiness.

Her hands were still shaking slightly and her spine was hunched in a way that looked like she was having trouble staying erect, making me realize that her back must hurt as much as her hands. This time, the surge of guilt that washed over me was stronger than before.

"Are you going to the Hospital Wing?" I asked, making sure my voice sounded bored and disinterested.

She looked at me with a guarded expression, and then replied stoically, "Wouldn't be surprising if I did now, would it?"

"In case you haven't noticed, it's after 10.30. That means Pomfrey is asleep and won't budge unless someone is dying." I said as a matter of factly. "And you don't look near death."

"Thanks for the info, Malfoy." she said, her voice no longer stoic, but tinged with annoyance. "Next time though, tell me something I don't know." Without another word, she started walking again.

Had she just dismissed me?

I gaped at her retreating back, unable to believe it. No one had ever dismissed me, not even my own father. I was Draco Malfoy, for crying out loud. What made her think she was superior enough to just cast me off like that?

She must've heard my footsteps as I strode towards her, because she turned around sharply just before stepping out of the Greenhouse. Her defensive stance and the wariness in her eyes took me by surprise. She took a few steps back as I got closer, as if she anticipated an attack. Fury boiled inside me when I realized that she honestly expected me to maul her.

Fucking hell, who did she think I was, Lucas Flint?

* * *

><p>I had felt never such exhaustion in my life. It was as if every cell in my body was tired and aching. Tonight had been too dramatic, from Flint's attempted rape to the continuous verbal battle with Drac-no-Malfoy and then falling on a forest of thorns, thanks to the elder Slytherin. Neither my body nor my mind was up for any more drama, both were so spent. It didn't matter that my palms were bleeding and my back stung like fuck, all I wanted right now was a bed and a pillow.<p>

But it seemed like the bane of my existence wanted to harass me some more.

As he came closer, my limbs stiffened. After his show of retaliation, it was a completely natural response of my body to his approach. It wasn't as if I didn't have any fight left in me. I was a Weasley, I was always up for heated arguments. But the energy had depleted from my body and it was sheer pride and willpower that held me upright in that moment.

"You know, Weasley, a well-bred girl would've shown some gratitude instead of scampering away like you are right now."

"Gratitude?" I repeated, scoffing unbelievably. "Why should I be grateful, least of all to you?"

He crossed his arms and gave me a haughty look. "If it wasn't for me, you would've been rotting among those thorns."

"If it wasn't for _you_, I wouldn't have landed on those blasted thorns in the first place!" I cried out.

"Oh please, you're the one who pushed me first."

"You're the one who insulted my family, you prat."

"Considering how you nearly buried me in dirt, that was justified."

I let out an impatient screech.

"You have to be the most pompous, insufferable jerk in the whole of England, Malfoy!" I said heatedly. "If you expect me to apologize, you better get off your high horse because that is not happening."

He started to say something but I interrupted him.

"Atleast I didn't make you bleed. If anyone deserves an apology, it is me." I said indignantly, and in a much calmer tone, I added, "But I have the common sense to not expect any from you."

If I stayed a minute longer in his presence, I would surely end up murdering him. So I whirled around and in three long steps, was out of the Greenhouse. The warming charm I had put on myself had worn out ages ago, but I was too weary to cast another one even though a chilly wind was blowing. Since the cold numbness soothed my throbbing palms a bit, I welcomed the crisp air.

As I made my towards the castle, my steps too slow and short thanks to the pain in my back, I realized that the walk to Gryffindor Tower was going to be a long one. The only thing that kept me in motion was the prospect of a hot shower and then falling into a much needed slumber on my bed. I could opt out of the shower considering my first priority was sleep, but I had a feeling Demelza was as clueless about healing charms as me, so the shower was compulsory if I didn't want the complicacies of infection.

I wouldn't have gone to Madame Pomfrey even if it hadn't been so late, because two visits within the course of just a couple of hours would've made her suspicious and give me unwanted attention. Hell, I wouldn't even go bother Hermione. That extraordinary brain of hers would immediately figure out that the injuries were Dra-Malfoy's doing, and then she would hunt him down and curse his balls off. Not that the prat wouldn't deserve it, but even though he wasn't on my favourite people list, something in me refused to let others do the damage control.

"Weasley, wait!"

Slants of light from the Entrance Hall flickered on the ground just around the bend. I should've just ignored his call and walked the few steps to the castle, but instead, I twisted to face him. He was panting slightly, as if he taken a run, and in the light of the torches lining the castle walls I could see a hard glint in his eyes. What more could he possibly want from me?

"Look, Malfoy." I found myself saying in an exasperated tone. "I'm tired, _injured_, and dangling on the precipice of my control. It has been a _very_ long night, and I just want it to end. So for the love of Merlin, _leave me alone_."

I had only taken a few steps when I heard him say, "Let me heal you."

Confused, I stopped walking and faced him once more. "Excuse me?"

His eyes dropped to my hands, which hung loosely at my sides, and then back up to my face. "Your palms. They are still bleeding."

"And you want to heal them?" I asked, taken aback.

"You know, Weasley, you keep repeating what I say." he said, smirking slightly.

His playful tone aggravated me for some reason. Pushing me into thorns one moment, pulling me up gently the next. Not taking the blame for my predicament, and then offering to heal me. He was hot one moment, cold the next, and I was in no mood for his little mind games. So without bothering to defend myself, I started towards the castle once more.

"Oh c'mon." I heard him mutter, and then he was standing right in front of me, blocking my path.

I tried to muster up the strength to glare at him, but when even that failed, I resorted to saying scathingly, "What part of 'leave me alone' didn't you get, Malfoy?"

"For your information, I got it all." he retorted. "I'm just choosing to ignore it."

I sighed heavily. If it had been any other time, I wouldn't have given in to his pestering so easily. But I was too tired and played out to even try to put up a strong front.

"Why?" I finally asked, the fatigue quite obvious in my voice.

"Cynical, aren't you?" It was more of a remark than a question, and when I didn't reply, just motioned for him to clear my path, a frustrated noise escaped his lips.

"You're the one who blamed me for your _injured_ state, Weasley. It's only fair that I do something about it." he said with a shrug.

"Since when do Malfoys feel indebted to do anything at all, especially when they think they have done nothing wrong?" I asked, my eyes narrowed.

"When they want to save their own hide." he replied. "Hell, you might just ask that know-it-all Granger to make my voodoo doll and then stick pins into it. There is no way I'm taking any risks."

Drac-Malfoy let out a mock-shudder, and I had to bite my lip to keep from smiling. What the hell was wrong with me? How could he make me laugh, when just moments ago I wanted nothing more than to get rid of his existence?

I decided that I had gone bonkers. I had become a complete nutter.

"Fine." I said, feeling rather annoyed at the resignation in my voice. "Just don't expect to be showered with gratitude."

He just rolled his eyes and said flippantly, "Give me your wand."

"What?" I asked, my nose scrunched up in confusion.

"Weasley, I'm starting to think you have a hearing condition."

"Very funny." I retorted sardonically. "What the hell do you need my wand for?"

He looked at me like I was someone with subnormal intelligence and said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "To patch up your hands, of course."

"And why can't you do it with your own wand?"

"Simple." he said, shrugging. "I don't have it with me."

I gaped at him. He probably took me for a bimbo if he thought I'd buy that. If it wasn't for the fact that I was dying to go back to Gryffindor Tower, I would've started calling him names, but I just scoffed at his absurd words and sidestepped him to enter the castle. A swish of a cloak and a muttered 'stubborn mule' later, he was standing infront of me once again.

"Weasley, be logical." he said, an irritated expression on his face. "If I _did_ have my wand, don't you think you would be sprouting tentacles on your head, or something along those lines? All you got was a push instead of hexes after you did that 'dirty' trick." After a second, he added with a smirk, "Pun intended, ofcourse."

Ignoring the last line, I admitted to myself that he did have a point. But when I continued to look suspicious, he threw his arms up in the air in a show of exasperation and said, "I swear on my Firebolt Pro that I do not have my wand with me."

I actually laughed out loud at that. "Malfoy, do you honestly expect me to believe that all these time, you were roaming around _without_ a wand?" I asked, the words sounding ridiculous to my own ears. A wizard worth his magic could never forget about his wand. "What did you do, leave it on the bedside table or something?"

His eyes narrowed at my condescending tone. "I know why you're being so difficult, Weasley."

"Is that so?" I said, quirking an eyebrow. "Well, since that saves me from giving an explanation, I'll be leaving now."

Glad that he didn't try to block my way this time, I had just taken the first step of the Grand Staircase when his shout rang throughout the Entrance Hall.

"It's because you're afraid of me."

I traced my step back and spun slowly to face him. He had his arms crossed and that arrogant smirk on. Standing directly underneath the huge chandelier that adorned the ceiling of the Entrance Hall, he looked like a Greek god, when in reality he was a patronizing demon.

I nearly barked out another "Excuse me?" but held my tongue in check and said with more bravado than I felt, "I assure you, Malfoy, fear is the last emotion you ignite in me."

"Then why are you scurrying away?" he asked, and then answered his own question smugly. "It's because you're afraid to be wand less in my presence."

He was right, of course. It was really alarming how he always seemed to figure out what I was thinking or feeling. But hell would freeze over the day I admitted it to anyone, let alone him.

Calling myself ten different kinds of fool for getting so easily aggravated, I thrust my chin upwards and strutted towards him, ignoring the prickling sensation the action caused along my spine. I knew I was taking a gamble by placing my wand in his hand, but I had to prove my point.

"I'm not afraid of you." I said, not letting go of my wand immediately when he tugged at it. "I just don't trust you."

We stood like that for a heartbeat or two, holding my wand and staring into each other's eyes. The grey ones were slightly narrowed, a calculating look in them that made me feel like I was being analyzed. I hated how my stomach tingled whenever he looked at me. It was debauched and utterly improper, but my body never seemed to understand that. Even now, when he was the reason I was hurting, my heart raced at the sight of those stormy eyes.

Dropping the hand that was holding on to my wand, I waited for him to make the first move. If he so much as jinxed me, he would only be proving my point. He probably didn't mean for me to notice, but since I was so attuned to his features, I saw his eye widen for a fraction of a second, as if he couldn't believe I was finally letting him do this.

"Don't move." he ordered, taking my hand and slowly pulling it up, turning it so my palms faced upwards.

His touch was so…gentle. So contradictory to everything he represented. My right palm was supported by one of his underneath, and the feel of his smooth, hard skin almost had me gasping. With his other hand, he pointed my wand at my bloody palm.

"_Consuendi._" he uttered, making a thin line of hazy, purple mist spread from the tip of the hazel wood.

I did gasp out loud when he started to trace my palm with the purple mist. There was no pain, but it felt like something sharp was tugging at my skin and sewing it shut. It wasn't a soothing sensation, and just when I started to suspect the spell Drac-Malfoy was using, he shifted to my other palm and repeated the tracing.

"Are you sure you're using the right spell?" I gritted out.

"Oh no, Weasley. I'm using you as a test bunny for my own invention." he said sarcastically, taking a step back to survey my hands, which were gloved with the purple mist.

I glared at him, to which he only rolled his eyes. Seconds ticked by, and then the purple mist seeped into my skin, disappearing completely and leaving my palms clean and the wounds healed. The tugging sensation faded as well, and when I flexed my fingers, there was no stinging. I looked up at my makeshift healer, not at all surprised to see the superior smirk on his face as he twirled my wand with his fingers in a lazy fashion.

When I beckoned for my wand with a newly healed hand, instead of giving it back he said, "Not even a meager 'thank you', Weasley?"

"I told you not to expect any gratitude." I replied impatiently.

With a mock-dejected sigh, he dropped the wand on my waiting hands. "You wound me."

"You'll get over it, Malfoy."

He just smirked at that.

There was nothing left to be said or done, so I didn't know why I was still standing there. Better yet, I didn't know why _he_ was still there. Just when I was about to turn and head for the staircase, he raised his hand and flicked my bangs away from my eyes, his fingers lingering on my cheek.

"_Au revoir_, Weasley." he said quietly, his French accent perfect.

With one last smirk, he was gone, leaving me with a gaping mouth and a thundering heart.

I walked towards the Gryffindor Tower in a daze, unable to get the feel of his fingers out of my mind. The ease with which he could turn my mind into a boggling mess was dangerous, and if I couldn't find a way to become resistant to his touch, I was in for some serious trouble. Surviving another patrol like tonight's would surely be hazardous to my health.

The portrait of the Fat Lady opened soundlessly when I gave her the password. Stepping into the empty common room, I made my way towards the girl's dormitory, still thinking about the blond Slytherin. He had been…different tonight. A patronizing, self-centered git, yes, but still…different. His retorts had been sarcastic and insulting, but not as cruel as I had expected. Something was up with him, I could decipher that much. But what?

It was past 11 pm, so I was visibly surprised to find my dorm mates up and talking, still clad in their uniforms. Romilda Vane sat on her bed with her legs crossed and an irritated expression on her face. Beside her, Orla Quirke was chewing on her fingernails, looking worried and slightly perplexed. At the foot of the bed stood Demelza, her stance rigid and her arms crossed. I knew that stance quite well. It meant she was pissed with a capital 'P'.

She must have sensed the door opening because she turned her head and when she saw me, she said angrily, "You won't _believe_ it."

After the night I had, I was sure that nothing could surprise me anymore.

"Romilda thinks Lucas Flint is cute."

"_What?_"

* * *

><p><strong>From DamnDraco:<strong>

This chapter should definitely make up for the lack of Drinny interaction in the previous two! Please please REVIEW and tell me what you think of my Draco!

Thanks to **SkittlesAreAwesome, yasy, icthestrals, sniper168, Chibi-Kyuubi-Chan, bluelover13, icebabesfire, DesiredRomance, veronica21, Rainydaygirl4, QueenSnitch, starbabe85 and Some Strangers keep starring** for reviewing the last chapter. I can only hope that you do the same for this!


	4. Chapter 4

Suspicious Behavior

_Dec 5__th_

_[9.00 am]_

**Ginny's POV**

I was jolted awake from sleep when I felt my head falling downwards. It took a moment for my vision to clear and when it did, I groggily straightened in the chair and took in my surroundings. The Great Hall was buzzing with chatter, as was expected on any Sunday morning. I turned my head to the right, rubbing my eyes to clear the sleep away, and came face to face with Neville Longbottom.

"Long night?" he asked, giving me an amused smile.

I was about to answer when I noticed a couple of strands of red hair on his shoulder and realized they unmistakably belonged to me. Brushing them away, I turned to the black girl who occupied the other seat beside me and asked, "Wasn't I leaning on your shoulder before I drifted off?"

The girl, who had been chatting with a 5th year, shifted her attention to me and replied, "Yeah, but you were getting a bit…heavy, and so I dumped you on Neville's shoulder instead."

Narrowing my eyes, I said menacingly, "Demelza Robins, are you implying that I have a big head?"

Demelza just quirked her eyebrows while Neville chuckled and said, "I don't mind bearing the burden, Ginny."

I punched his shoulder playfully and then dropped my head down on the table, intending to doze off again, when the Head Girl bounced into the seat in front of me.

"I've been looking everywhere for you!" she exclaimed. "How did last night go?"

Her eyebrows were furrowed in worry, as if she expected me to say that Draco-no-Malfoy had made me cry or something like that. Sighing, I said, "The patrol went fine, Hermione. Nothing worth recounting happened."

When she kept looking at me questionably, I knew she didn't buy my prevarication, so I huffed and said, "Alright, nothing _unusual_ happened. We just exchanged heated words and insulted each other, as expected, and I felt like choking him every time he opened his mouth."

Last night had been so much more than just heated arguments, but technically, my explanation wasn't a lie, instead a modified version of the truth for Hermione's peace of mind. I saw the desired effect of my words when she didn't demand for more details, just shook her head and said, "Thank God. I thought I wouldn't find you in one piece in the morning."

I raised my eyebrows, feeling slightly insulted. "You don't trust me to be able to take care of myself?"

"I just don't trust Draco Malfoy." she replied solemnly.

"Welcome to the club then." I said in a bored tone.

There was a minute of silence between us, in which the older girl chewed on an apple pie and I brooded. It always annoyed me when the Golden Trio acted like I was made of glass, like I wouldn't be able to handle a difficult situation. Underneath all the fiery attitude and playful disposition, I was a horribly insecure person and when someone doubted my ability to do something, I began to doubt myself as well. It was all because of that blasted Chamber incident back in my 1st year.

I tried not to let other people's comments feed my insecurity but sometimes, like right now, I couldn't help but think that maybe I really wasn't tough enough. Maybe the reason Draco Malfoy had never wanted to date me was because he knew he deserved someone much more emotionally stronger.

"So have you girls planned anything for today?" Neville's inquisition broke my melancholic thought stream.

"Oh, Ginny and I are going Christmas shopping and then we'll meet up with the boys at the Three Broomsticks later." informed Hermione, not taking her eyes off an open book beside her while she cut the pie.

"We are?" I asked dumbly, having no idea what she was talking about.

She looked up sharply from the book and gave me a scrutinizing once over. "Yes, unless you have a _date_."

"What would I have a date for?" I started to feel rather uncomfortable when Hermione gawked at me, as if she couldn't believe my state of unknowingness.

"Uhh, today is the last Hogsmeade trip before Christmas, Ginny." explained Neville, who seemed less bowled over at my ignorance of the date.

"Oh my Merlin!" I exclaimed, slapping a hand to my forehead as I sat up in the chair. "It's 5th of December already?"

Neville nodded. "You must have had quite a week if it made you forget the date."

"Just had a lot on my mind." I mumbled, earning a sympathetic look from Hermione. What with the whole House Unity fiasco, Quidditch practices and my constant anxiety owing to Draco Malfoy, I had completely forgotten that this month's Hogsmeade trip was today.

"So you're going to come with me, right?" asked Hermione, closing her book and leaning towards me hopefully.

"Yeah, I guess." I replied, making her beam in relief. "I mean, it's obvious that I don't have a date."

"Good!" said Hermione a bit too enthusiastically, and when I raised my eyebrows in amusement, she amended what she said.

"You see, Harry and Ron practically fled when I asked them to come shopping with me. " Her nose wrinkled in irritation at their typical male behavior before she added, "And I really don't want to be alone on a Hogsmeade trip."

"Don't worry." I assured her. "I need to get some early Christmas shopping done as well, so your company will be greatly appreciated."

Then I nudged Demelza with my elbow and inquired about her plans for the day.

"I'll probably spend all my time and money at Honeydukes." she said with a shrug, reaching out for a lemon tart and taking a bite.

I eyed the girl's figure for a couple of seconds and then sighed inwardly in both admiration and envy. Demelza probably had the most killer body at school, even though her diet held no restrictions and she ate like a horse at times. Standing at 5'9, she was all breasts and hips and curves with just the right amount of aggression in her attitude to make her the ultimate bombshell. If I were to be completely honest, she wasn't much of a beauty, but her divine body made up for her looks.

"Why don't you join me and Hermione?" I offered, helping myself to a strawberry tart. "We could go to Honeydukes together."

"Yeah! It could be like a girl's day out!" said Hermione excitedly, making me smirk at the naïve notion.

When Demelza didn't answer immediately, I noticed the hesitancy in her eyes and it made me suspicious. If all she had planned was a trip to the sweets store, why was she thinking twice about spending the day with us?

I was about to interrogate her when I saw Colin and a 6th year Ravenclaw prefect rush inside the Great Hall, their faces pale and sickly as they practically ran towards the staff's table. By the time they reached the throne-like chair occupied by Dumbledore, everyone's attention had shifted to them. It wasn't just another ordinary day when mere prefects barged up to the Headmaster in the middle of breakfast.

The staff table was too far away for anyone to eavesdrop into their conversation, but if their frantic expressions and the way Dumbledore's head snapped up at their words was any indication, it wasn't good news. The venerable man stood up gracefully but hastily and hurried towards the stairs, Professor McGonagall in tow, and just before he started to descend, he ushered Snape to follow him as well. All the students watched with open curiosity as the teachers exited the Great Hall swiftly, and is if on cue, everyone burst into speculations about what could've happened.

Luckily for us Gryffindors, we had one of the primary sources to inform us about the situation. Colin was barraged with questions as soon as he came in the vicinity of the Gryffindor table. He sat down a few seats across from me, automatically being surrounded by our housemates.

"What happened, mate?" asked Ron, who was standing beside Colin.

"Yeah what was that all about?" enquired Ritchie Coote from his other side.

Many Hufflepuff students were lining up alongside the Gryffindors, eager to hear what Colin had to say even though the sandy blonde boy looked like he was about to vomit inside his mouth. I myself was dying to know what he had said to alarm the teachers like that, but I took pity on his uneasy state. It would be clear to anyone who bothered to look past his or her own curiosity that Colin was utterly disturbed.

Raising my voice, I said, "Come on people, give him some room to breathe."

Colin looked at me gratefully and then grabbed the nearest goblet on the table, gulping down whatever liquid was in it earnestly. While everyone waited with palpable patience for him to finish the drink, I stood up on my tiptoes and looked over at the Ravenclaw table. Every student was up from his or her chair and stood clustered in a circle, their eyes trained intently on someone in the middle. It was evident that the Ravenclaw prefect was less queasy about revealing whatever had happened.

Amidst the group of Ravenclaws, I caught a glimpse of the distinct green and silver tie of a Slytherin. Squinting, I recognized Gregory Goyle's portly figure standing alongside the Ravenclaws and listening raptly to whatever the 6th year prefect was saying. For a moment, I thought it was peculiar that the rest of the Slytherins had no curiosity whatsoever about the situation, but then I realized the whole bunch of them were too arrogant to listen to what happened all by themselves. So they sent a minion instead to do the job.

_Typical snotty Slytherins, _I thought.

"It's Lucas Flint." Colin's voice brought my attention back to the Gryffindor table. "Bradley and I were walking down the 2nd floor corridor when we saw his body lying near the girl's lavatory."

A collective gasp sounded throughout the crowd while my eyes widened in alarmed shock.

Colin gulped before he continued. "He was lying in a pool of blood, his body beaten and bruised, his nose broken and, oh God, we thought he was _dead_."

"Is he?" whispered someone from the crowd.

Shaking his head, Colin said, "Bradley checked for his pulse, which was weak but still there, so we carried him to the Hospital Wing as fast as we could and then rushed to inform Dumbledore."

"Just how bad is his condition?" asked Hermione.

"He was pretty banged up when we found him and if the bruises were any indication, he had been injured for quite a while, atleast since last night." replied Colin. "I don't think Madam Pomfrey will be able to patch him up."

I personally didn't care about Flint's health. It was harsh of me, I admitted, but after what he had tried to do to me last night, I think my lack of concern for the Slytherin was justified. What did concern me, however, was the timing of the incident. If Colin's judgment was correct, then Flint had been attacked sometime after Zabini had taken him to their common room.

If Zabini had taken him there in the first place.

My eyes darted towards the Slytherin table once again, skipping over the heads of the students until it landed on the raven-haired boy, and I felt no surprise when I saw him sitting beside Draco Malfoy. Zabini was leaning slightly towards him with his head bowed, almost speaking into his ear. Malfoy, on the other hand, looked like he wasn't even listening as he twirled a fork along his plate. Though his eyes were directed on the piece of cutlery, they had an unfocused quality which made it obvious that his mind was somewhere else.

Suddenly, he turned towards Zabini with a smirk. The next few words he spoke were definitely ingenious in nature because it brought a sly expression on Zabini's face, who offered a hand to the blond. Malfoy took it, and there they were, smirking at each other while shaking hands, as if congratulating each other on a job well done. As I started to wonder about the suspicious nature of their conversation, a distracted part of my mind made me realize that Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy together were the embodiment of every naughty fantasy a red-blooded teenage girl could have.

I was thwarting myself from having such wayward thoughts about the two notorious Slytherins when Zabini turned his head. His eyes met mind and the sudden eye contact caught me off guard, so I wasn't able to look away in time. Thus I saw him respond to my stare with a mocking lift of a brow, to which I narrowed my eyes.

**Blaise's POV**

"Draco, I think the object of your obsession suspects me of wrongdoing." I said, still looking at the redhead from across the Hall.

From the corner of my eye I saw Draco turn his head to look at Weasley, who was currently being dragged aside by a black girl. She said something with an inquiring face, to which the redhead nodded and as they conversed, I took a moment to appreciate the curves on the black girl. She was exactly how I liked my bed partners – tall and fit but with curves and big breasts. Sex was more fun when I had a lot of skin to lick.

I was trying to recall the girl's name when Draco said, "Firstly, I'm not obsessed with her." The irritated tone of his voice made me smirk. "And secondly, it really doesn't matter as long as you don't give her a reason to _confirm_ her suspicions."

"I won't." I said confidently.

"You better not."

"Or what?" I challenged, smirking at the blond. Draco was so domineering at times, I took great pleasure in ruffling his feathers a bit.

He quirked an eyebrow and said in a calm tone, "If you value your family jewels, Zabini, you don't want to find out."

"Aha! I knew it!" I cried out in glee. "Admit it, Draco darling. You're _so_ jealous of my cock."

From across the table I saw Theo and Pansy snicker at my sudden exclamation. I winked at them and looked back at Draco to see him glowering at me.

"Remind me why I don't choke you in your sleep?"

I scoffed. "_Oh please_, Draco. Who would do your dirty work if you killed me?"

"Now you're just overstating it, Blaise." he said, rolling his eyes.

"In a way, yes." I said, and when I saw a flicker of surprise cross in his eyes at my admission, I elaborated. "What you made me do was nowhere near as dirty as what you did yourself."

"Your point?" he inquired in a bored tone.

Shrugging, I said, "Don't you think you were a bit too extreme with Flint?"

"No, I don't." he said unrepentantly. "If you're so concerned about him, you shouldn't have brought him to me in the first place."

In a mocking show of defeat, I threw my hands up in the air and huffed. "I give up, Draco. It's obvious that you have no soul to feel guilt."

"Stop with the powder-puff drama, Blaise." he said, snorting. "You know it has no effects on me whatsoever."

"Besides," he continued to say, picking up his fork to take a bite of the scrambled eggs he had been ignoring for some time, "the filthy scum had it coming."

"Really? So attacking Weasley wasn't the only reason you nearly took his life, huh."

He didn't reply, just scowled at me and went back to finishing his breakfast. Knowing I wouldn't be able to get a word out of him regarding his destructive methods of punishment, I sighed inwardly. His feelings for the redheaded Gryffindor were the only thing that made me curious, but he just had to get tightlipped about it.

"You never told me what happened last night." I said surreptitiously, taking a sip of pumpkin juice and hoping Draco's adroit mind wouldn't detect my hidden agenda.

A somewhat thoughtful expression came over his features and he stopped chewing. "She doesn't like me that much." he said.

The confusion in his voice made me laugh out loud. "I'm not surprised."

When he narrowed his eyes, I smirked and said, "Other than me, Pansy, Goyle and occasionally Theo, no one really _likes_ you."

"Yeah? Too bad I don't give a fuck." he said pompously.

I rolled my eyes at his devil-may-care attitude. "You do give a fuck about what Weasley thinks, don't you?" I asked, waggling my eyebrows.

"It doesn't matter." said the blond with a dismissive shake of his hand. "I'll change the way she thinks."

Knowing him, he'll probably succeed.

"Why don't you just shove the lass up against a wall and kiss her senseless." I advised with a grin. "She'll be putty in your hands in no time."

He let out a short, exhaled laugh and looked up towards the Gryffindor table. The way his eyes blazed and his jaw clenched, it was obvious that he was staring at the redheaded Gryffindor. This time last year, Draco didn't give a rat's arse about the girl, but now, he needed her for his survival. It was rather ironic.

Still staring at her like a predator stalks its prey, he said, "I wish it could be as simple as that."

I let out a low whistle. "You need to get laid, mate."

"Easier said than done nowadays." he said, scoffing and leaning back against the chair with a cranky look on his face.

Since nothing gave me more satisfaction than disturbing Draco's peace of mind, I was about to remind him how I was getting more action in the sex department and should probably take over his title of Sex God, when McGonagall's voice rang throughout the Great Hall.

"All students are requested to submit their wands to their House Prefects, who are to take them to their respective House Heads _immediately_."

Expecting to see the old bat of Gryffindor, I turned towards the door to the Great Hall with a scowl but our dear Deputy Headmistress was nowhere in sight. A couple of Ravenclaws gasped as a silvery apparition whizzed past them and halted above the staff table. It swirled slowly around Dumbledore's chair and as it took the shape of a cat before it spoke again.

"The Hogsmeade trip has been postponed till all wands are returned to their owners."

"You saw this coming, didn't you?" I asked Draco, who smirked and nodded. I silently marveled at his ingenuous thinking. Not that I'd ever say it out loud, considering Draco already had an ego the size of the Bulgarian Quidditch stadium, but sometimes, I wished I had the blondie's brains.

"Is there even the smallest possibility of detecting any residual Dark magic in my wand?"

"Don't insult me, Drakie-poo." I said, slightly irritated by his lack of faith. "Even the strongest _Prior Incantato_ won't be able to see past the block I've placed in your wand's magic signature."

He smirked at me and thumped my back. It was how we Slytherins showed gratitude to each other, instead of trivial vocalized thanking. As Draco started to collect the wands, mine already in his care, I leaned back on my hair and lazily perused the occupants of the Great Hall. My eyes drifted across the Ravenclaw table and came to a halt when it landed on Su.

She was talking to one of her girlfriends, studiously ignoring the male arm slung around her shoulders. Remnants of last night's encounter flashed across my mind, and I smirked as I saw her boyfriend retract his arm when he failed to capture her attention. Su whispered something to her friend, who I remembered gave amazing hand jobs. Both of them giggled and turned to look at me, and I immediately understood she was talking about my expertise in bed.

_Or rather_, I thought as I gave the Asian girl a playful wink, _against a wall_. Life was good. Life was _great_.

**Ginny's POV**

"All students are requested to submit their wands to their House Prefects, who are to take them to their respective House Heads _immediately_."

Demelza and I turned towards the source of the voice, only to see a silvery ball of light barrel past the Ravenclaw table and stop above Dumbledore's chair. It twirled around the tip of furniture before taking a feline shape and speaking. "The Hogsmeade trip has been postponed till all wands are returned to their owners."

"What is that thing?" asked Demelza, her voice tinged with confusion and slight awe.

"It's McGonagall's Patronus." I answered, recognizing the shape of the tabby cat I had seen quite a few times at Grimauld Place when it served as the Order's Headquarters.

"And why does she want us to hand over our wands?" she asked, looking slightly distressed.

"I have no idea." I said, drawing out the syllables of the last two words. "Hermione might know though."

We walked swiftly towards the Head Girl, who stood at the foot of the Gryffindor table arguing about something with my brother. As we came into their vicinity, I heard Ron say, "What if-what if Malfoy tries to curse me? I wouldn't be able to defend myself then."

With an irritated look, Hermione said, "And how will Malfoy curse you if _he_ doesn't have his wand in the first place? Honestly Ron, you're so daft sometimes."

Grumbling, Ron dropped his wand in the dark red pouch that Hermione carried and stomped away angrily. I winced inwardly when I heard the hard thumps his footfalls made. Ron's biggest insecurity was the fact that his girlfriend was far more intelligent than he was, so Hermione's comment was bound to make him feel inferior and belittled, even if she hadn't meant it. She must have thought the same because a distress clouded her features as she stared at Ron's retreating back.

"Give him some time." I said sympathetically, catching her attention. "He'll get over it."

Hermione nodded forlornly, still looking at Ron. Then her head snapped towards me and I could see that she was back in what I liked to call her 'Head Girl mode'.

"You heard McGonagall's orders, Ginny." she said, her voice directive. "Since Colin is not in the right state of mind and Ron is, well, _unwilling_, it looks like you and I have to finish collecting all the wands."

"About that." spoke Demelza from beside me before I could respond. "Any idea about why we have to remain wand less for an unknown period of time?"

"I'm not really sure." Said Hermione, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "But I think they're going to perform wand checks."

"What's a wand check?" I asked. Things were becoming confounding by the second.

Hermione sighed and instead of explaining, she said exasperatedly, "Am I the only one who reads?"

Demelza just crossed her arms while I rolled my eyes. Seeing that neither of us were interested enough to answer her question, she sighed again.

"A wand check is a series of spells performed on a wand to ascertain whether a particular branch of magic has been cast by the wand under examination."

"Recited that right off the page of the book, didn't you?" said Demelza with a bemused smirk.

I couldn't be bothered with Hermione's neurotic need to be precise. Something she had said was making the wheels turn in my head.

"A particular branch of magic as in…Dark magic?" I asked Hermione. The way her eyes drifted off made it clear that the thought had crossed her mind as well, further confirming my suspicions.

"You think someone used curses on Flint, don't you?" I said, taking a step towards her and speaking in a low tone. Beside me, I felt Demelza's stance become tense.

"It seems to be the only plausible explanation." said Hermione, focusing on me again. "I'll ask Professor McGonagall when I hand over the wands, which we should've started collecting by now."

Before she bustled off, she conjured another red pouch from thin air and thrust it into my hands. "Here, gather all the wands from the 1st, 2nd and 6th years. I'll do the rest."

When the elder girl was out of earshot, Demelza pounced on me. "Now that Dark magic is involved, you _have to_ tell McGonagall about Zabini."

Though it had been really late at night and I had been beyond exhausted, Demelza kept pressing me to tell her about the patrol with Draco. I knew she wouldn't stop urging till I caved in, but I hadn't particularly wanted to recall the events of the patrol. So to divert her attention, I had told her about Flint's attack and as I had expected, she forgot about Draco Malfoy all together. Since last night, she had been insisting that I tell someone, atleast Hermione, about what Flint had tried to do, but I firmly refused. When Colin recounted the occurrences of the morning, Demelza put two and two together just like I had and ushered me aside to demand that I report Zabini's ass to McGonagall.

"I told you, there isn't substantial evidence to support our assumption that Zabini is the one who cursed Flint." I said. "Besides, I could do without the mess of people knowing. Ron and Harry would kill Flint if they ever found out he tried to assault me."

"I don't know, Ginny." said Demelza. "It just feels so wrong to sit quiet and do nothing."

I gave a small nod of acknowledgement. Being Gryffindors to the boot, our conscience demanded that we bring forth the culprit since we were sure he was guilty. But both of us knew there wasn't any solid ground on which I could accuse Zabini of landing Flint in his current comatose state. If Hermione's theory was right, that our wands were going to be checked for usage of Dark magic, then he was going to be caught anyway.

Though I wouldn't admit it to Demelza, I felt qualms about saying something against Zabini. It wasn't that I particularly liked the Slytherin, but he had, indirectly, saved me from Flint's filthy clutches. Ratting out on him would definitely make me an ungrateful bitch and since I was a strong believer of karma, I didn't want to take any chances. I was rather curious to know whether he had actually cursed Flint or not, and there was only one way of finding out.

Dragging Demelza's attention away from something across the Hall, I said, "I think I'll confront Zabini the next time I find him alone."

She raised an eyebrow and scoffed lightly. "You know he is never going to admit anything."

"But if he really is guilty, I'm counting on his initial reaction to give him away." I said with a small smirk.

"Good luck with that." said Demelza with a laugh and a thump on my back. "I have to go to the library now. I'll see you later."

"Now?" I asked, unable to believe it. Demelza rarely went to the library and when she did, it was always in a group so that she wouldn't get bored. "It's probably deserted now."

"Hope it is." she said. "I don't want any distractions while I try to work out Snape's assignment."

Though it made sense, I still felt like something was off with her. Before I could comment on her unusual behavior, she thrust her want into the red pouch I forgot I was carrying, gave a short wave and practically hightailed out of the Great Hall. This time, I was sure that she was hiding something from me. Though I had no right to feel neglected considering I usually left out a lot of details while relating events of my life with her, the fact that she was doing something she wasn't comfortable telling me about made me feel uneasy.

Almost every student expressed disgruntlement at having to hand over their wands, and I had to keep reminding them that it was Dumbledore's orders so there was no getting around it. Some of the 1st years were so scared of becoming wand less, I had to promise that I'd punish anyone who tried to harass them. Most of my classmates surrendered their wands immediately without any question, possibly because they knew I wouldn't have the answers.

I didn't want answers. If it had been any other besides Flint, I would've felt sympathy for the person and wished for a well recovery, but I just couldn't make myself feel bad for the Slytherin. It made me a heartless and vindictive bitch, but that was how I am. If someone pissed me off big time, I never felt any concern for their well-being. So it didn't matter to me whether Zabini cursed Flint or not. What I really wanted to know was his motive.

And I was determined to find out.

* * *

><p><span>Trouble in Paradise<span>

_[3.00 pm]_

**Hermione's POV**

I knocked respectfully and waited for an acknowledgement from the other side of the door.

"Come in."

Stepping inside the office, I shut the door softly. "You summoned for me, Professor?"

Professor McGonagall looked up from her table, a quill suspended in her hand as she stopped writing. "Yes Miss Granger, I did."

Getting up from her chair, she walked fluidly towards an oak wood cabinet to her right. Taking her wand out, she tapped the handles of the cabinet twice before opening it, and I automatically wracked my brain to remember the spell she used. It was a locking spell which only recognized the wand by which it was cast. A simple _Alohomora_ wouldn't be effective on it, but anyone with a good sense of magic would be able to lift it off using _Finite Incantatem_.

Something told me my House Head wouldn't appreciate it if I pointed that out to her.

"Please inform all the Gryffindors to come down to the Entrance Hall at 5 o clock." she said, pulling something out from the cabinet. She tapped the handles once again with her wand and the cabinet closed smoothly by itself. "Argus Filch and Hagrid will be there to escort you all to Hogsmeade."

She placed a medium-sized golden bag on the table and motioned for me to take it. When I peeked inside, I saw that it contained hundreds of wands. The bag should've weighed a lot more than it did, so Professor must've placed a weight reducing charm on it. I made a mental note to practice the minor charm in my spare time.

"The bag has been enchanted to match a wand with its rightful owner." informed Professor McGonagall. "So I doubt there will be any case of wand exchanges."

Sure enough, when I place my wand-hand inside the bag, the familiar vine wood attached itself to my palm. With a sigh of relief, I pocketed my wand and thanked the Professor. She gave me a curt nod and said, "That will be all, Miss Granger."

I knew I was dismissed, but throughout the day I had been wondering whether my assumption about the wand checks was right or not and Professor McGonagall was the only one who could tell me. Knowing I had to be subtle about it, I made a show of turning towards the door but stopped midway.

"Professor McGonagall?"

She looked up once again with stern eyes and I stopped myself from gulping. I knew the woman for 7 years but she still intimidated me. Some Gryffindor I was.

"How is Lucas Flint's condition?" The question was harmless enough.

"He had to be taken to St. Mungo's." she said, her tone brisk and eyes still trained on me.

Now, Madam Pomfrey was a very qualified mediwitch. I would know, considering the countless times she had healed me, Harry and Ron when we got ourselves into messy situations. So I was thoroughly surprised by the little piece of information provided by the Professor. If Flint's state of health was so poor that the matron couldn't patch him up, then he must have been quite badly injured. There was definitely Dark magic involved, but that still didn't confirm my assumption.

I hungered to know whether I was right or not and thus, I found myself blurting out, "Did the wand checks reveal anything, Professor?"

Even if I hadn't been so naturally perceptive, I still would've noticed the surprised look that flitted across Professor McGonagall's bespectacled eyes. She hadn't expected me to say that, and I mentally bashed myself for having such a big mouth. As she stared at me, her face contemplative, I stood my ground and prayed that she wouldn't scold me for talking nonsense.

"What gave you the idea that we performed wand checks, Miss Granger?"

Though the question caught me off-guard, I gave a small shrug and said, "Flint must be in quite a critical condition if he had to be taken to St. Mungo's. The only type of spells which would land him there are curses. Why else would our wands be taken, Professor, if not to find out whether someone cast Dark magic or not?"

A couple of seconds passed by in complete silence, enough to start making me feel like a fool. Maybe I had been wrong about the wand checks? I was about to excuse myself to prevent further embarrassment when I was completely astounded by the ghost of a smile on Professor McGonagall's lips.

"I shouldn't be surprised that the student to figure it all out is you, Miss Granger." she said, her slightly impressed tone making me beam.

"As for your question, I'm afraid the result has been negative." she said, looking a bit miffed.

"But…Professor, it would mean no one used Dark spells." I said, my eyebrows furrowing together in confusion.

"It would." she affirmed. It seemed to me that even she was confused about the whole situation.

Knowing I couldn't worm any more information from her, that I was lucky she even bothered to tell me about the wand check in the first place, I bade Professor McGonagall farewell and made my way towards the Gryffindor Tower.

The common room wasn't completely packed, but it was still buzzing with activity when I walked through the portrait hole. Most of the students had changed out of the uniform and were now lounging in their casual wear, laughing and gossiping and enjoying the last Sunday before Christmas holiday started. Since majority of the Gryffindors were within hearing range, I decided to let them know that the Hogsmeade trip has been resumed. A chorus of whoops and cheers went round the room and I shouted to stop some of the girls who were excitedly going up to the dorm to dress up for the trip.

"Please form a line and take your wands." I said, holding the golden bag up in the air for everyone to see.

Everyone scrambled to get near the front of the line, except for a particular redhead. She sashayed from the other end of the room and cut in the middle of the poor guy who was about to get reunited with his wand. Flashing him a charming, unapologetic smile, she thrust her hand into the bag and with a small whoop, came up with her own wand.

"Ginny!" I admonished. "You could've joined the line, you know, like the rest of the people."

"But I'm _not_ like the rest of the people." she said with a pout, making me roll my eyes. Ginny's childish antics irritated me at times, but there was just something about the younger girl that made it quite hard to stay annoyed at her.

"Anyway, I'm going down to meet Luna after I get dressed." she said, finally standing aside to let the queue continue. "See you at the Entrance Hall, okay?"

"Alright, we'll share the same carriage." I said with a nod.

With a grin, she made her way towards the girl's dormitory, stopping now and then to talk to a housemate. When we first started dating, Ron used to express his concerns about Ginny's ever growing popularity and the amount of male attention she got. When she had pursued Malfoy back in our 6th year, disregarding our feelings about the Ferret, Ron had been furious. But secretly, he had also been relieved.

The probability of Draco Malfoy showing any interest in Ginny Weasley was close to nil, and Ron took consolation in that fact. Recently though, he had started whining about it again. It had been only three months since our 7th year started and now that Ginny had realized Malfoy wasn't into her, she had already dated and disposed off three different guys. Ron didn't like the rate at which his sister was going through boys, and neither did I. The only reason I refrained from saying anything to her about her fast growing reputation of a slag was because she was my only female friend and I didn't want to hurt her.

I also had this feeling that she was still not over Malfoy, but trying her best to forget him by basking in the attention other boys bestowed on her. If this was the route she needed to take to cope with rejection, I would deal with it even though I didn't approve of it. That was what I told Ron to calm him down every time he thought of confronting his sister. Knowing Ginny, she would end up hexing her brother in the heat of the moment and then things would get rocky between them. It was my boyfriend and my best friend, and I really didn't want them to fight.

I was so deep in thought that I didn't even notice Ron until he thrust his hand rather forcefully into the bag, startling me out of my train of thoughts.

"Ron!" I exclaimed. "Where have you been all day?"

"Oh, now you're interested to know?" he asked scornfully, starting to walk away when he got his wand. "Besides, I could ask you the same."

"Ron, please!" I said, hating the desperate quality in my voice. "You knew I was laden down with Prefect duties."

"Yeah, well, pardon me for thinking the Head Girl would take a break to spend time with her boyfriend." he said, and with one last angry glance, stomped away.

My cheeks flamed when I saw the pitiful looks he got from the people in the line. I knew Ron was still angry at me for calling him daft and expected an apology, but I had been so busy throughout the day, I actually forgot that my boyfriend was mad at me. I loved Ron and I knew he loved me, but sometimes, he became so _sensitive_ about the smallest issues, it was frustrating. He and Ginny were so different in this case-the female Weasley hardly got sentimental over silly matters-it made me wonder how they were even related.

I waited for the line to end, wincing inwardly every time one of my classmates came in front and gave me a sympathetic look. In that moment, I decided that the first thing I was going to do after all the wands were taken by their respective owners, was find Ron and ask for his forgiveness. Not because I felt guilty, but because I couldn't stand the knowing looks people sent his way. I didn't want people to think that there was trouble in our so called paradise.

* * *

><p><span>So Surreal<span>

_[4.30 pm]_

**Ginny's POV**

"You look nice, Ginny."

"Thanks Colin!" I said, skipping the last two stairs of the dormitory and landing in the common room with a small hop.

I beamed at Colin when I was stable on my feet. "Have any special plans for the Hogsmeade trip?"

"I, uh, did, actually." he said, blushing slightly and making me wonder whether he had been about to ask me on a date.

I would've asked him myself but my mind had been occupied with the thoughts of Draco Malfoy and his uncharacteristic behavior for the past few days, making me forget about everything else. Even though the first patrol was over and done with, I still couldn't stop thinking about the Slytherin. Throughout the day, I found myself envisioning how our encounters would be after the interesting way last night had played out. Malfoy was probably having a good laugh about it while I was wasting precious brain cells by over thinking the events of last night.

I needed to forget that Draco Malfoy existed. I needed to set my priorities straight. I needed a good snogging. Thus I found myself sidling towards Colin and saying, "Well, the girls and I are going Christmas shopping. Want to join us later at The Three Broomsticks?"

"I'm not going to Hogsmeade, Ginny."

"Why not?"

"I'm still kind of disturbed with the whole Flint incident." said Colin with a small shudder. "I think I'll just spend the day at the dorm."

"Oh." I was slightly miffed at his show of weakness.

So he had seen a boy in near-death state. I didn't expect everyone to handle situations like that calmly like Harry and Ron, but Colin was a Gryffindor for Merlin's sake. I hadn't considered him to break down and hide under pillows and to be honest, his lack of mental strength kind of disappointed me. Growing up with six brothers and befriending Harry Potter meant there was no room for weakness in my life.

"I would really like a rain check though."

Instead of confirming anything, I just smiled at him and patted his arm. "Feel better soon."

Leaving a rather defeated looking Colin behind, I made my way towards the portrait hole. I was about to step out when a group of giggling girls accosted me.

"Oh wow, Ginny! You look so pretty!"

"Where did you get the coat from?"

"Are you meeting up with that hot Italian stud like the last time?"

"Did Colin ask you out yet?"

I flashed a fake smile their way and instead of addressing each of them separately, I answered in general with feigned gusto. "Thanks, I got the coat from Paris while visiting my sister in law. The Italian hot stud, as you so eloquently put it, will not be there because I never got around owling him after the last Hogsmeade trip. And as for Colin and I, we're just friends. Now if you girls will excuse me, I have to go meet up with Luna. I'll see you all later."

Waving at them, I swiftly walked towards the portrait hole and with a sigh of relief, stepped outside. It wasn't like I minded talking to them, but just because we shared a good laugh in between classes and in the common room, they thought they had the right to pry into my personal life like they were my best friends. Sometimes, I wanted to be a straight out bitch and tell them to mind their own business, but I knew I would regret it later because they were decent company.

Besides, Demelza and Hermione weren't with me all the time and I only got to see Luna at meals and in between classes. I needed people to talk to when they weren't around. I hated being alone.

I took the first step down the Grand Staircase when I saw Luna standing near the door to the Great Hall. Considering she wore a bright orange jumper with a long, black and gold printed skirt, her figure was quite hard to miss. Despite her strange apparel and the necklace made of safety pins dangling around her neck, she looked beautiful. I told her as much when she was within earshot, but she just smiled and shook her head.

With long, blonde hair, blue eyes and a petite figure, Luna was a classic beauty. No matter how weird her clothes were or how absurd her choice of accessories was, she always managed to pull them off. The most endearing thing about her was how completely oblivious and uncaring she was regarding her looks. Most people made fun of her because of the insensible things she said, but I loved that about her. I loved how aloof and unaffected she was.

"How is the Quibbler coming along?" I asked, motioning to the magazine she was holding.

"You're going to love the next issue." she said excitedly. "It will feature an article explaining how Pygmy Puffs increase the rate of sex in a household."

I choked on my own spit and started coughing uncontrollably. "What!"

"Yes. I thought you'd be interested to know, since you have Arnold and all."

"Luna, Arnold is at the Burrow and Mum and Dad are the only constant inhabitants of it!" I cried, my gut clenching in disgust at the thought of my parents going at it like rabbits.

"I see." she said thoughtfully. "Oh well, it's good to know they have a healthy sex drive."

"Let's not string my parents and sex in the same sentence, alright?" I requested, the discomfort clear in my voice.

Luna gave me an understanding smile and thankfully changed the subject. "It's going to be quite late in the evening when we return."

"Uhuh." I said with a gleeful nod. "I've never seen Hogsmeade at night, so I'm kind of looking forward to it."

"Me either. I heard they use _Solaris Pixies_ to light up the streets in the Christmas season."

Knowing Luna, _Solaris Pixies_ probably didn't even exist, but instead of saying that out loud, I nodded and told her about all the things I planned for the evening. There were so many people I needed to buy gifts for this, I didn't think I'd be able to get it all done in a couple of hours. Luna pointed out that I probably wouldn't find all the things I was looking for at Hogsmeade anyway, so we decided to meet up sometime during the holidays at Diagon Alley.

"Of course, you're always invited to stay over at the Burrow." I tell her. "Dad knows Mr. Lovegood but my parents have never seen _you_."

"Father becomes lonely when I'm not around, misses mum a lot." she said, the tinges of sadness in her voice making me poignant. "So I spend every day of the Christmas holidays with him. But I would love to meet Mr. and Mrs. Weasley."

"It's alright." I said, patting her hand. "As I said, the invitation is open. Whenever you feel like coming over, just let me know beforehand. I'll have to make sure the Floo Network is open."

"Anyway, you won't believe what happened last night-"

"Got laid, Weasley?" came a snide voice from behind Luna.

I shifted my attention from Luna and when I saw the speaker, my eyes narrowed and I opened my mouth to retort. But the blonde Ravenclaw beat me to it.

"Being more concerned about someone else's sex life than your own is not healthy, Bole." said Luna in that calm, unwavering tone of hers. "It causes Nargle infestation in your penis."

For three whole seconds, both Bole and I stared at her with our mouths open. Then, unable to help myself, I roared with laughter. Whether it was because of the visual I got or the fact that Luna had uttered the word 'penis' like it was part of her daily vocabulary, I didn't know, but I just couldn't control my laughter. I laughed and laughed till I was clutching my stomach with one hand and holding on to a set of armors with the other as if my life depended on it.

"Shut up, Weasley." sneered Bole menacingly, but I noticed the tip of his nose had turned red and that only made me laugh harder.

"And you, Loony-bin, I pity your half-blood existence." he said, taking a step towards Luna, which immediately sobered me up. "With a nutcase for a father, it's no wonder you spew shit all the time."

"Really, Bole? Really? _You're_ going to talk about fathers?" I said mockingly. "That's funny."

"Want me to talk about yours?" he said, the taunting tone making me narrow my eyes. "Advisor to the Minister for Magic, but still a mudblood loving piece of filth. I'm not surprised you turned out to be such a pathetic little whore, Weasley."

I was sick and tired of these stupid Slytherins calling me a whore. The reason I never bothered to correct them was that they would go on calling me names even if they knew I was a virgin. Most of the time, I couldn't give a rat's arse about what they said, but I couldn't tolerate it when they brought my family up. Even though I knew it was a bad idea, I still raised my arm to punch the daylights out of Bole when someone grabbed my wrist and stopped me.

"If you like your face, Adrian, trust me when I say that it would be unwise to piss off the princess of Gryffindor." said Blaise Zabini, smirking and still holding on to my wrist. "She's got a mean streak, this one."

Bole stared at his housemate like he had lost his mind, and I'm pretty sure I bore a similar expression. What was it with this particular Slytherin always coming to my rescue? And why did something in me refused to believe that he was the one who cursed Flint?

"What's going on here?"

Oh no. Oh no, no, no. Turning towards the voice had been a reflex because I could tell who it belonged to without looking. I bit my lip as the familiar tingling that started in my stomach every time I heard that particular voice began. It was too early in the day to be dealing with _him_.

"Draco!" exclaimed Zabini. "So glad you could join us."

In a forest green woolen turtleneck and dark grey slacks, a black coat hanging on one of his arms and his blonde hair spiked up artfully, Draco Malfoy was simply scrumptious. I tried really hard not to stare at him and even succeeded a bit, but nothing could've stopped me from taking furtive glances of him as he raised a perfect eyebrow at Zabini in inquisition.

"Weasley here," began Zabini, holding my wrist up and waggling it as if I was an object being auctioned, "was about to rearrange Adrian's features because he called her a 'pathetic little whore'. Now isn't that entertaining?"

"Extremely so." he drawled, his tone bored and uncaring.

I saw his gaze land on Zabini's hand which was wrapped around my wrist, and that was when Zabini let it go. Ofcourse, there was no way Dra-Malfoy would be bothered if Zabini touched me, so I casted the thought aside as coincidence and wishful thinking.

"Bole, Professor Snape wants to see you at his office." said Malfoy in a curt tone.

"Why?" asked Bole insolently, his eyes still trained on me.

"I'm just the messenger." replied Malfoy, his jaw twitching in annoyance. "Now get out of my sight."

Bole finally stopped glaring at me and looked at Malfoy for the first time, probably because he realized he shouldn't have taken that tone with the elder Slytherin. Beside me, Zabini was smirking at the sudden frightened expression on Bole's face. With one last glare sent my way, Bole walked off towards the dungeons. An awkward silence fell upon us and I was trying to think of a respectable way to get out of there when Luna turned towards Zabini.

"You're Blaise Zabini, right?"

"The one and only." he replied with a curious smirk.

"You really need to work on your Silencing charms." advised Luna sternly. "It's rather disturbing to walk by a classroom at night and hear girls screaming your name like a banshee."

Zabini stared at Luna with a peculiar expression, like he was seeing her in a completely new light and was unable to comprehend what he saw, while Malfoy and I snickered at the same time. My eyes shifted to him on reflex and as the grey orbs stared back, I had to restrain myself from drowning in the icy fire. To this date, I couldn't understand what it was about his eyes that drew me in like a moth to a flame. He smirked when I didn't look away immediately and to mask the blush that was rising in my cheeks, I quirked one eyebrow and gave him a smirk of my own.

"Well, why don't you teach me?" asked Zabini, smiling guilefully at Luna. "I wouldn't mind a private lesson from you, Lovegood."

"Ofcourse you wouldn't." I heard Malfoy mutter, earning a wink from the dark-haired Slytherin.

Luna frowned, completely oblivious to Zabini's innuendo. "You're not as intelligent as I thought if you need help in Silencing charms."

"He is not intelligent in the first place." said Malfoy, smirking at Zabini, who raised an eyebrow mockingly.

"All the things I do for you, Draco, and this is how you repay me?" said Zabini, sighing and looking down at his shoes in mock-dejection.

"Dramatic much?" I remarked, my tone teasing and a grin playing at my lips.

Beside me, Malfoy snorted. "You haven't seen even half of his theatrics."

"Oh, do you sing opera?" asked Luna, mild curiosity lacing her voice. "I never could've guessed."

A strangled laugh escaped from Drac-Malfoy's mouth and my ears hummed at the sound. I took an indiscernible peek at him from beneath my lashes and saw him grinning at his best friend. Or was he smirking? It was hard to tell because I was entranced by the pinkish hue of his lips and couldn't concentrate on anything else. I found myself smiling as well, not because of what Luna said, but because he was smiling as well, even though I supposedly hated him.

Didn't that make me one messed up little chit or what?

"Now now, people, I would make one smexy opera star." said Zabini, puffing his chest up in a show of pride.

"Keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel special, Blaise." teased Draco, still sporting that cross between a smirk and a grin, and the playfulness in his tone nearly had me gasping.

I had never heard him so carefree and…normal. He always sounded like an arrogant arse no matter what he said, and the tone of his voice always had a superior quality to them. As we stood in a circle and he bantered with his housemate, it felt surreal, like it came off the page of a book which was someone else's life. His demeanor wasn't completely relaxed, but I felt no latent hostility coming off him. The way we were standing, onlookers would think friends from different Houses were catching up on gossip. But that was so far from the truth.

"We have to go." I said abruptly, catching Luna's eye and hoping she would understand.

Both Slytherins looked at me but I kept my eyes fixated on Luna, trying to deliver a silent plea. Of all the times to be incognizant and oblivious, I hoped Luna didn't choose this to be one of them. I just couldn't be in Draco Malfoy's presence anymore. He was this magnetic pole designed specifically for me and there wasn't anything I could do but get pulled towards him.

"Oh yes, I see Neville." said Luna, bless her heart, giving me the out I need.

Luna gave both of them an airy wave and waited for me to start walking. It would be completely impolite of me to just leave without a sort of farewell, considering we had been conversing earlier. Well, sort of conversing. So I gave Zabini a mock-salute and turned towards Malfoy, unsure of what to do. The blond was staring at me and the way his eyes were crinkled, I had a feeling he knew exactly what I was doing.

Which was running away.

**Draco's POV**

She saluted Blaise, a small smirk at her lips, and I found the action rather…cute. I, Draco Malfoy, thought that a girl was cute. It was rather ironic, really. I had never bothered noticing how she looked before this term started, and now I wondered whether my eyes had been functioning properly last year. Dressed in a navy blue trench coat that molded her figure perfectly and black denim trousers which encased the length of her long legs, Ginny Weasley was surprisingly delectable.

I guessed I shouldn't be surprised that I'm attracted to her now, considering my state, but what troubled me was how much I _liked_ what I saw. My hands practically itched to snatch her hair band and flick the offending piece of elastic away so that her gorgeous red hair would flow down her back. The blue of her coat contrasted perfectly against her hair, but I wanted nothing more than to take it off so I could see what she wore underneath.

When I heard what Bole had called her, I wanted nothing more than to bash his brains with a club. And when I had seen Blaise holding her hand, I wanted to choke my best friend. It took an incredible amount of self-restraint to not let my possessiveness show and confuse the shit out of the redhead. I knew she was very confused, and that was why she was running away from the situation.

Hell, I couldn't blame her, I'd be confused too if I was in her place. She was a Weasley, a Gryffindor, a blood traitor in the eyes of my housemates. By law, we were bound to hate each other. And though I had never hated her, particularly, I hated all she stood for. That was why I had been astounded for a few of days when I had learned she was into me last year, but then I cast it off. I was pretty damn good looking and girls fell for me all the time. In a way, it had boosted my ego when she had pursued me, knowing that even the enemy found me irresistible.

But I had constantly rejected her advances and made my thoughts about her quite clear. So it was not surprising that she was confused with me acting like we didn't have a history. And I _was_ acting, partially anyway. Weasley was wary of me, and I needed her to feel at ease in my presence so that I could woo her and seduce her and bind her to myself. It was all for my own benefit, for my own survival. If I had to pretend like I was interested in her to get into her pants, so be it. It wasn't like I had any other option.

Weasley was looking at me now and I saw indecision flicker in her hazel eyes. She was fighting the attraction she felt for me, and for some absurd reason, I didn't like that one bit. Not only did her defiance make my goal harder to achieve, it also bit at my pride. The little weasel thought she could resist me, but she had no idea how overwhelming I could be. So I decided to give her a sample of the infamous Malfoy appeal. Leaning down, I brushed my lips along the shell of her ear and smirked when I felt the tiny tremor that wracked through her at the contact.

"You'll think of me all day, wont you?" I whispered, breathing in the smell of fresh kiwis that I now knew to be her signature scent.

Before she could push me away, I pulled back and straightened. Her hazel eyes were wide and slightly glazed but after a heartbeat, they narrowed, wrinkling her forehead. A dim fire glimmered in the light brown orbs as she glared at me, and I had the distinct feeling that she understood what I was playing at.

Smirking, I imitated her salute to further antagonize her and said, "Good day, Weaslette."

Looking away from the redhead's agitated expression, I caught Blaise's knowing gaze and motioned for him to come along, but he paid no heed to me. Instead, he took Lovegood's hand gallantly and said in a Spanish accent, "Until next time, mi amour."

Blaise was such a sap, I wondered if the girls who fell for his cheesy attitude had functioning brains. But if the frown on the blond Ravenclaw's face was any indication, she wasn't buying it. I made a mental note to tease Blaise later on how, for all his fake accents and buoyant charm, he still couldn't garner interest in Loony Lovegood.

My peripheral showed that Weasley was staring at me, arms crossed and eyes still narrowed. Smirk on, I looked back at her and said, "Got something to say?"

Aggravation flashed in those expressive hazel eyes. "You're such a-such a-"

"Tell me something I don't know, Weasley."

"-audacious prat!"

I let out a scoffed grin, letting her know the words didn't bother me in the least.

"You've heard that one before, haven't you, Draco?" said Blaise, and I saw an identical grin on his face.

"Of course." I replied, completely unaffected by being called such names. I've earned them, after all, and rightfully so.

"C'mon, Luna." said Weasley, her chin tilted up as she grabbed the blonde girl's arm and steered her away, her spine stiff and walk swift.

In her agitated state, the hard stomps of her feet made the gentle sway of her hips more pronounced. My heartbeat sped up as I stared at her ass, and the sudden vision of gripping the tempting globes and pulling her flush against me flashed across my eyes. Instantly, I was sporting a hard on.

"That's a rather cute butt."

A quite growl escaped my lips at Blaise's comment, warning him to take his eyes off the redhead.

"Geez, get a grip, Draco." said Blaise, smirking slightly. "I was referring to the blonde."

I didn't reply, I was too busy staring at Weasley. She was talking to a group of Gryffindor boys now, all smiles and laughs. One of them, the Irish guy Finnegan, I think, took her hand and twirled her around, staring appreciatively at her body. My lips curled into a snarl and if it hadn't been for the public place, I would've broken the guy's arm.

"Easy there, tiger." said Blaise, noticing my fierce expression. "Let's go find Theo and the others."

Yes, I needed to get out of there, needed to get the redhead out of my sight. It's been over three months, but I still couldn't come to terms with these sudden bursts of arousal and possessiveness over the redhead. I knew the cause of it and I knew they wouldn't stop, but I still wasn't used to feeling these conflicting emotions.

As we approached our Slytherin group, Pansy wrapped a hand around my waist and leaned into me. "Hey Draco, any definite plans for today?" she said, smiling up at me.

"Nothing important." I said. "Why?"

"Come shopping with me?" she asked, and the hesitance in her voice tugged at my heart.

After Blaise, Pansy was my closest friend. The outward appearance that we had of being an on-again-off-again couple was all fake, something she insisted on maintaining for her own image, and I didn't have any problem continuing with the façade. She had been there for me whenever I had needed and if this was how I could pay her back for being a friend, I had no qualms about pretending to be her lover.

Slinging my arm around her shoulder, I returned her smile and said, "Sure, but on one condition."

When she wrinkled her eyes in question, I smirked like the devil and said, "You'll take me to that lingerie store again."

As she burst out laughing, Blaise said petulantly, "Howcome you've never taken me to said lingerie store?"

"Because you never bothered to accompany me on my shopping excursions." Pansy pointed out.

"You never asked me! You always ask Draco!"

When Pansy just shrugged, Blaise crossed his arms and huffed. "Well, its preferential treatment and you know it."

"Fine. I'll take you with me next time." she said, rolling her eyes. "If you can get away from the random girls who shove their tongues down your throat."

"Or the girls who have _your_ tongue shoved down _their_ throats." I commented wryly, making Pansy and Greg chuckle.

"Don't hate me cause I'm irresistible." said Blaise, grinning from ear to ear.

Pansy sighed and shook her head. "You're getting worse than Draco."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, surprised and slightly confused.

"He is becoming quite the arrogant Slytherin." she said with a smirk, to which Blaise puffed his chest up.

"Really?" I said, raising an eyebrow in amusement. "Well, he's still got a long way to go to achieve my level of arrogance."

Greg and Pansy laughed while Blaise just shook his head and smiled. It was moments like this which made me wonder, how could we, who have seen and done and said things other 17 year olds would shudder at, be so _normal_ together. We all had demons inside us which gnawed at our conscience, but somehow, we managed to find bouts of normalcy in our messed up lives and I was very grateful for that.

"Oh, there's Theo." said Greg, his eyes focused behind me.

"About time you showed up." remarked Blaise casually as I felt Theo stand beside me.

"Yeah I got held up by, er, Professor Snape."

I noticed that he didn't quite meet Blaise's eyes when he said that. Skilled as I was in the art of reading body language, I knew a lie when I saw one. If it had been anyone else, I wouldn't have given it a second thought, but since I considered Theo more than just an acquaintance, I wondered what he was hiding. There wasn't enough time for me to ponder on the thought, however, since a great booming voice assailed my ears.

"A'right kids, gather aroun' an' respon' ter the name call."

Thank Merlin Filch was in charge of supervising the Slytherins because I honestly couldn't stand the constant chipper attitude of the big oaf. I never understood the point of appointing him as the Ground Keeper. He never caught me or Blaise when we snuck out to swim in the Lake in the middle of the night even though we hardly bothered to be careful, he was that useless. I hardly understood why Gryffindors were so taken with him either.

All at once, my attention shifted to Weasley as the word "Gryffindor" registered in my mind. She stood near the front of the fast-growing line, right behind Potter, whispering something to him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. He laughed and turned his head to whisper back and the puny distance between their faces made me want to add another scar to Potter's head. If I didn't make a serious move on the redhead soon, I had a feeling these possessive urges would only grow stronger and make me insane.

"Malfoy, Draco."

The scratchy utterance of my name brought me out of my contemplation and I waved a hand lazily in the air to get Flinch's attention. It took the worthless Squib a whole minute to find me and when he did, he humphed and ticked my name on the roster. I figured our dear old Headmaster had quite the big and kind heart, considering he let the likes of half-giants and Squibs roam in the school.

"C'mon Draco, let's go get a decent carriage." said Pansy, stowing Greg and me towards the door.

"Right, go ahead without me." said Blaise with a pout. "I'm nobody, after all."

While Greg and I snickered, Pansy said cheekily, "It's not our fault your last name starts with the last letter of the alphabet."

"I'll wait for you, Blaise." said Theo, his eyes focused on something across the Hall.

"Ah, finally someone who understands my worth." said Blaise dramatically.

"And probably the only one." I said with a smirk.

"Darling Draco, you know I'm indispensable to you."

Though I relished teasing and picking at him, I didn't have it in me to contradict his statement, even if it was just for fun, because what he said was completely true. I raised an eyebrow in amusement which let him know that I was acknowledging what he said. Blaise would get the sign, he was a Slytherin after all. This kind of silent understanding was crucial among in our House.

Because we Slytherins never expressed what we felt for another person, no matter what.

* * *

><p><strong>From DamnDraco:<strong>

You wanted Blaise? You've got Blaise.

Thanks a bunch to **SkittlesAreAwesome, DesiredRomance, Some Stranger keep starring, JLeeP, icebabesfire, whatisfake, Nutmeg44, Romione1434ever, rroxannet, Aelle Malfoy, writeyourlove** for reviewing! Means alot to me, really.

Special thanks to **DesiredRomance, Some Strange keeps starring **and** whatisfake** for the in depth reviews! Can't wait to see what you guys think of this chapter. Lots of love!

To the Anonymous reviewers,

**DxGforever, Sefera, draco's-zabini, PrincessMalfoy, Soizoroid, ILikeAcheron** - Thanks alot for the wonderful reviews! You guys are gems!


	5. Chapter 5

**From DamnDraco:** *hides behind a pillow as you throw a shoe at her* Ok, I know I took _ages_ to update this chapter, but in my defense, IT'S ALMOST 14, 000 WORDS! That fact aside, my O Level preparation tests are going on at school. So studying takes up majority of my time and I can barely sleep, let alone write. But anyway, the chapter is here now and I hope you like it!

Thanks to DesiredRomance, Nutmeg44, whatisfake, Curly Wurly Me, rroxannet, Some Stranger keeps starring, icebabesfire, AryaElf, lilymalfoy12, draco's-zabini, All-That-Drinny and Rainydaygirl4 for reviewing! Maybe you guys can do it again for this chapter? Sometimes, when I get a writer's block, I go through your reviews and it helps so much!

The Hogsmeade Trip

_Dec 5th_

_[5.30 pm]_

**Ginny**

"So, are you and Ron finally sating 6 years worth of sexual frustration?"

"Ginny!"

"My brother was sporting a goofy grin when you two came down and looked too smug, while you kept glancing at him and blushing. It doesn't take a genius to figure out why you two were late."

"Did it occur to you that we might've been discussing school work?"

"Did it occur to you that a scarf would've hidden that hickey better than the collars of your shirt?"

Hermione's face flamed and her hands instantly went to the side of her neck, making me grin. Though the image of my brother and Hermione in the throes of passion made me want to gag, I couldn't help but tease the elder girl.

"I bet he is a lousy kisser." I remarked offhandedly.

We were walking towards the carriages, Harry, Ron and the other guys ahead of us and Neville and Luna a few steps behind. I could hear Luna explaining the stages involved in Nargle reproduction to Neville, and it immediately made me smile as I remembered Bole's red-nosed face. It had taken quite a while for Hagrid to finish calling our names off the roster because he kept getting distracted by this conversation a couple of 4th years were having about dragons. Now, finally, we were headed towards our transport for Hogsmeade.

"I'll have you know, Ron is a very adept kisser." said Hermione, defending her boyfriend.

"But not as adept as Viktor Krum." I said cheekily, winking at Hermione.

The manner in which the elder girl ducked her head and hid her face made me laugh. Though it confirmed my statement-that Hermione thought Viktor Krum was a better kisser than Ron-I wasn't offended in the least. Just because she was in love with my brother didn't mean she had to lie to herself about his kissing expertise. Hell, if I were Hermione and had been kissed by Viktor Krum, I wouldn't have looked twice at Ron!

Farther down the pebbled pathway, I saw Harry and Ron climb into one of the carriages. Ron raised his arm and motioned for us to join them. When stood in front of the carriage, he took Hermione's hand and hoisted her up, extending his arm once again to help me climb as well.

"I see chivalry isn't dead yet." I teased, using his offered arm as leverage to climb into the carriage.

He scowled at me while Harry snickered. Neville followed me up, accompanied by Luna, and we sat facing the Golden Trio. Now that the carriage was full, the Thestrals began their journey towards Hogsmeade. I hadn't been able to see Thestrals till that fateful day of my 4th year, on which I decided to join Harry on his quest to save Sirius from Voldemort. Having seen Death Eaters die in front of my eyes, now I was able to view the queer and mysterious creatures which had previously been invisible to me.

As remnants of that day's encounter flashed across my eyes, I realized that everyone who had been there with Harry at the Ministry was seated in the carriage. Harry had probably been thinking along the same lines because, in an utterly sincere tone, he said, "I can never thank you guys enough for standing by my side during Umbridge's reign and then coming with me to the Ministry."

"You have nothing to thank us for, Harry." said Luna kindly. "We did what we felt was right."

"Yeah." agreed Neville, nodding his head.

"We'll always be there for you, Harry." I said, reaching forward and patting his arm. "No matter what."

"Besides, we saw the Saviour of the Wizarding World defeat Voldemort." said Ron, grinning and thumping Harry's back. "It's something I'm proud to say, mate."

"We're your friends, Harry." said Hermione, her eyes glassy. "We could never leave you alone to save the world."

"Yes, well," spoke Harry, clearing his throat in a show of discomfort, "I just want you all to know that I appreciate everything you've ever done for me."

There was a moment of silence in our carriage, the only sound coming in the form of Seamus' whooping laughter from farther down the path, and then-

"I think you should start dating, Harry." remarked Luna pleasantly.

I laughed at the sudden panicked expression on the bespectacled boy's face. Harry had never particularly liked being in the spotlight regarding any aspect of his life. For Luna to comment so bluntly about his love life, he must be feeling downright uncomfortable. Ron and Neville snickered while Harry stuttered, trying to formulate a decent reply to Luna's statement.

"The last time you took someone out was Cho in our 5th year, Harry." said Hermione, her nose scrunching in disapproval. "I completely agree with Luna. It's high time you started dating again."

"I-I'm fine the way I am, thanks." said Harry, flushing slightly. "Besides, it's not like girls have lined up for me and I could pick anyone I wanted."

I couldn't help but snort at that. "Are you kidding? Every time I go to the girl's lavatory, I'm barraged with questions regarding your relationship status. I bet it's the same for Hermione."

Hermione nodded and said, "Sometimes, they even ask me about your sexual orientation!"

"What!"

All of us roared with laughter as Harry's face flamed in embarrassment. It was cruel of us to tease him like this, but Luna was right. He really needed to get back to the dating scene. Harry wasn't a loner but he wasn't social either, and with his two best friends in a serious relationship, it was obvious that he got lonely at times.

"It's alright if you prefer men, Harry." said Luna somberly. "There are plenty of guys who would love to be with you."

Ron and Neville doubled over laughing as I and Hermione gave Harry sympathetic looks and then, because I just couldn't help it, I winked at him. We were having too much fun at the poor guy's expense.

Pointing at me, Neville and Luna, Harry fumed and said, "You three are ones to talk. When was the last time any of you dated? And please, Gin, your boy toys don't count."

"No guy is entertaining enough to keep me interested." I said with a shrug, choosing to ignore the term Harry had used and the scowl Ron sent my way. "Besides, they don't want a serious relationship with me anyway."

"I'm not manly enough for girls." said Neville. All of us immediately started arguing with him, to which he merely smiled and shook his head, as if he had resigned himself to the absurd notion.

"As for me, well, it's pretty obvious." said Luna. At our perplexed looks, she smiled gently. "Everyone thinks I'm a lunatic."

"You are not." I said fiercely and everyone agreed with vigorous nods. "Anyone who says so is going get a nasty hex from me."

"And a punch from me." said Neville, brandishing his knuckles.

Luna gave us both a grateful smile and then turned to Harry." There you go. We told you our reasons, now let's hear yours."

"What is this, some kind of an intervention?" asked Harry with a huff, crossing his arms.

"The way you're acting, one would think Cho has ruined you for any other girl." I teased.

"I never liked her that much." said Luna, frowning slightly.

"Me either." said Hermione, scrunching her nose.

"She was a whiny skank." I said with a shrug. While everyone chuckled at my comment, Harry dissolved into a sputtering mess.

"Look guys, I appreciate the concern." said Harry, his tone serious. "But I'm not ready for the dating scene yet."

Though I wondered why it was so, I noticed the miffed expression on Harry's face. He really didn't want to talk about his lack of a love life with us, whether because he felt uncomfortable or because he just wasn't interested, I had no idea. But he didn't want to discuss the topic further. Hermione must've wanted to broach the topic for a while now, considering the disappointed look she had on her face at Harry refusal to talk about it. Before she could open her mouth and say something which would infuriate Harry, I quickly changed the subject.

"Luna said Pygmy Puffs make increase the rate of sex in a household!"

"WHAT?"

"Really, Ron, must you be so loud?" chided Hermione, but even she bore a shocked expression

From then on, we chattered about random topics, occasionally teasing Ron or Hermione since they were the only couple present, until we reached Hogsmeade. It wasn't dark yet, but the sky was cloudy and grey. I had a feeling it would snow tonight and hoped fiercely that it didn't. Snow had never fascinated me like some people. In fact, I had never been a big fan of winter. Autumn was more like my kind of season.

"Alright, we'll see you girls in a couple of hours at the Three Broomsticks." said Ron, as I hopped down from the carriage and it trotted off towards the stalls.

The boys headed towards Dervish and Bange's while Hermione dragged us to the Quill Shop. Most of the students were still roaming in the streets, standing in front of the display windows of stores or just strolling through the village. I shook my head when I saw Kevin Whitby lead Su Fawcett inside Madam Puddifoot's. The only reason couples went there was for trysts involving a lot of groping.

"Ginny, what do you plan to give Hermione for Christmas?" asked Luna as we entered the shop and Hermione walked off towards shelf containing pheasant feather quills.

"Don't know, but I'm not giving her a book though, that's for sure." I said, looking here and there for Sugar Quills. "Girl's got enough books to last three lifetimes."

"How about that case of eagle feather quills?" Luna was pointing at display of black and gold cases on a shelf at the far end of the store.

We made our way towards the back and from the corner of my eye, I saw a lone bag of Sugar Quills sitting on top of a nearby shelf. From the other side of the aisle, a short, frumpy woman was walking in our direction, her eyes on Sugar Quills. Before she could reach it, I extended my arm and grabbed the bag, grinning in triumph and ignoring the glare the woman sent my way.

When we reached the cases of quills, I couldn't help but gasp softly. Two long, slim pieces of feathers were stacked neatly inside the case, lying on golden satin. One was dark grey with stripes of black and white, the other was a terracotta brown with beige stripes. The case itself was made of wood varnished in black, complete with non-breakable glass cover and buckles. I knew Hermione would go ecstatic over it because she was an avid quill enthusiast and this was definitely a collectible.

"Luna, this is perfect." I said, squealing slightly.

"And also pricey." she said, frowning as she flipped the price tag.

Yes, the price was quite higher than my budget but it would be worth buying it for Hermione. I was so happy at having found the perfect gift for the elder girl, I was positively beaming. While Luna kept Hermione distracted and away from the cash counter, I quickly paid for the quills and had it packed. One gift was down, a dozen more to go.

After Hermione was done getting her necessities, we walked out of the store and was immediately attacked by a strong gust of wind. It was so chilly, I and Hermione slapped our hands over our ears, shivering uncontrollably. Luna, on the other hand, looked like she didn't even realize that her skirt was flapping against her leg in the freezing gale.

"Luna, how can you survive in this temperature wearing a skirt?" exclaimed Hermione, hands still at her ears.

"Oh, I'm wearing tights underneath." explained Luna. "Father got it for me from Tibet. It is made from the fur of a pregnant yak. Very insulating."

"Yeah? Well I want a pregnant yak!" I said, shivering and blowing warm air from my mouth onto my fingertips. When Hermione and Luna burst into fits of giggle, I realized what I had said and started laughing as well. "I meant, I want tights made of the fur of a pregnant yak."

Laughing and joking, as Luna said she had a picture of a yak hibernating under my duvet stuck in her head, we walked to Honeydukes. On our way, Hermione heard a group of 3rd years planning to poke around at the Shrieking Shack and threatened to complain to McGonagall. I rolled my eyes as the Head Girl gave the poor kids one heck of a lecture on propriety and discipline.

"You know the Shrieking Shack isn't really haunted." I said to Hermione when the grumbling kids were out of earshot. "Why did you tell them off then?"

"Ginny, you and I know that the place is a spoof, but they don't." said Hermione patiently. "They've been warned not to lurk around the place, so they should listen to their elders."

"That's kind of autocratic and unfair." remarked Luna and I nodded in agreement.

"No, it's sensible and completely fair." I knew that tone of Hermione's. Her voice became all haughty and sharp when she was getting ready for an argument.

Luna and Hermione continued to bicker on the topic throughout the walk while I stared absently at the stalls which passed by, only half listening to their conversation. Luna and Hermione were friends, yes, but their opinions on matters always seemed to clash. They didn't end up fighting like Ron and Hermione, but the arguments were always heated since both usually had a point to prove.

When we reached Honeydukes, I slung one arm around Luna's shoulders and the other around Hermione good naturedly. "C'mon, you two, stop wasting precious energy on useless arguments."

"Ginny, it's not a useless argument."

"Yes, Ginny, it's rather practical. Just because Hermione wants other students following useless decorum, doesn't mean this argument is useless as well."

"Oh please, Luna, rules have been laid down generation after generation for a reason! Why shouldn't they be followed?"

"Rules tend to get backdated, specially the silly ones. Not being allowed to visit a place during a Hogsmeade trip, for example."

I groaned and wrenched the store's door open, ignoring the two sparring girls. If they wanted to ruin a perfectly good trip by arguing over petty matters, I was being no part of it.

As the familiar warmth inside Honeydukes engulfed me, a smile broke out on my face. I had been fascinated by the sweet shop even before I had stepped inside Hogwarts, ever since Charlie had given me a box of their Special Belgium Chocolate Snitches. But it wasn't just the gourmet taste of the sweets that drew me in. The interior of the shop exuded warmth and joy and the multicolored jars lining the walls of the shop presented a lively aura which never failed to make me happy. I didn't have a sweet tooth but every time I came here, an unexplainable compulsion made me buy half the things in the store.

I lazily perused each shelf, scooping up boxes which caught my eye. By the time I reached the display of Christmas Gift Specials at the corner of the store, my arms were full of Everlasting Bubble Gums, Cherry Mint Lollipops, Pineapple Crystals and toffees of different flavors with twinkling wrappers. I was sporting a huge smile on my face which threatened to split my face in two. It didn't even make sense, but for some weird reason, I just felt so happy.

Arms laden with sweets, I browsed the section with my eyes. In the Weasley family, everyone had a sweet tooth except me, Bill and Percy. It was a tradition for me to get them Special Holiday Season chocolates every year and I kept it up with strict policy. Even when I didn't have money on my hands, I always got toffees for them because I knew they appreciated the gesture very much.

All the Holiday Specials were rather expensive, but I wouldn't become flat broke if I bought six boxes of Caramel Gnomes. They were 15 Sickles a box, which would leave me with just enough money to finish shopping for Harry, Luna and the twins. It was a good thing I didn't have to shop for clothes for a while, or else I would've felt that I was sacrificing all my savings.

I craned my neck in search of my companions. It looked like they were still arguing, standing in front of a display of Cauldron Cakes, completely oblivious to the irate woman who was trying to get their attention so that she could reach past them. Sighing, I turned back to the Caramel Gnomes, wondering how I was going to pick them up with my arms full. The store's lone employee was nowhere to be seen and the owner was busy billing. I stared at the boxes of Caramel Gnomes, wishing for the umpteenth time in my life that I could perform wandless magic.

"Need help?"

Startled at the male voice, my head turned sideways and I stared at the boy standing beside me. He wasn't looking at me, his attention was on the display of chocolates. Seconds ticked by, then amethyst eyes shifted towards me as I still didn't reply.

"You're offering to help me?" I asked, my voice tinged with slight disbelief.

One white-blonde eyebrow quirked up. "I believe that's what I said."

"Why?" I asked, shifting on my feet so that I was facing him completely.

The amethyst eyes looked down at the pile of chocolates overflowing my arms, a faint smile curling the edges of his lips. "You seem to be in a precarious position every time I see you."

I snorted. "Yes, well, I'm not the most graceful of creatures."

There. I had given him an opening to insult me, to prove that he was just another Slytherin out to get some sadistic form of entertainment. But once again, Acheron Denali surprised me. Instead of telling me that I was a clumsy filthy blood-traitor, he just shrugged and plucked a couple of boxes from my arms.

"You can use one hand now." he said, the faint smile back on his face as I gaped at him with my mouth partly open.

I shut my mouth and hurriedly grabbed the Caramel Gnomes, my mind reeling over the fact that Acheron Denali, mystery boy of Slytherin, was actually a decent person. It wasn't like I had the tendency to judge people, but even Blaise Zabini went around throwing insults and he was considered to be rather tame compared to his housemates. Did other Slytherins know that Acheron Denali was nothing like them? Did anyone know Acheron Denali at all?

In my haste to grab six boxes of Caramel Gnomes, a couple of Cherry Mint Lollipops slipped from my grasp and clattered to the floor. My face flamed at the mess I had made on the floor, partly due to Denali's presence. There was just something about the boy which unsettled me. It wasn't the kind of heart-clenching, stomach flipping, skin itching, nervous kind of unsettlement I felt near Dra-Malfoy. I never had that kind of reaction to someone other than the elder Slytherin. But Denali made me…conscious of myself.

Not meeting Denali's eyes, I crouched and began to collect all the boxes haphazardly when I felt him stoop down and swat my hands away. Shocked at the motion, my hands stayed in midair where his push had landed them. He patiently arranged the boxes in a neat pile and picked all of them up, his long arms giving him advantage to hold them steadily.

"Lead the way, Weasley."

"I can carry some." I reached for the boxes but he leaned away from me and looked pointedly at the register.

"I've got this, Weasley. Now let's get it all paid for."

As I walked ahead of him towards the register, I cleared my throat to shed some of the awkwardness. "Well, it's good that I found you here. It saves me from searching for you all over Hogsmeade."

I turned my head when he didn't reply and saw him look at me in confusion, as if he was wondering why in the world I would be searching for him.

"Snape's assignment." I clarified for him. "We were supposed to work on it tonight at the library, but since the Hogsmeade trip got delayed, I had to let you know that we'll have to reschedule."

"I figured that out myself, surprisingly." His tone was slightly sarcastic as his steps evened with mine and we walked side by side.

"Glad to know you're not an imbecile." I said, rolling my eyes.

His lips quirked but he didn't say anything else as we finally reached the register and the owner of Honeydukes gave me a huge, welcoming smile.

"Miss Weasley! Wonderful to see you, as always." His eyes flicked towards Denali, stayed there for a moment and then returned to me.

"Ah, thank you, Mr. Archibald." I said, smiling back at him. "You look fantastic, as always."

"You're too kind, Miss Weasley. Too kind." he said, shaking his head but looking immensely pleased by my compliment.

Beside me, Denali was smirking at my social display of flattery. It was so similar to Dra-Malfoy's, yet so different. Whereas Malfoy's smirk was always mocking or condescending or teasing, Denali's one was that of amusement. I elbowed his ribs to get his attention and motioned for him to dump the contents of his arm onto the register. He did so gracefully, making me wonder if all Slytherins were born with inbred sophistication.

"You're so generous with these gifts, Miss Weasley. Your friends and family are very lucky to have such a loving person in their lives." remarked Mr. Archibald joyfully as he packed my purchases.

I laughed, waving a hand in the air. "It's really the other way around. I'm lucky to have them."

"Too kind, you're too kind."

Denali was snickering softly now, so I elbowed him once again to catch his attention. He raised his eyebrows at my glare and thankfully stopped snickering, but I could still see his lips quiver in amusement.

"There you go, Miss Weasley." Mr. Archibald pushed a huge brown packet on the counter. "That will be 6 galleons, 13 sickles and 3 knuts."

I reached inside my coat pocket to take out a dark grey pouch which held the galleons. After I counted them out, I put it aside and reached for the pouch which contained the sickles. 6 galleons and 12 sickles was quite the amount to spend over chocolates, but I felt no guilt in doing so. What with Bill, Charlie, Percy and Fred and George fending for themselves and my dad's promotion, I finally got money in my hands to spare and I took full advantage of it.

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Archibald." I gave him a huge smile as I took hold of my purchases.

"Merry Christmas, Miss Weasley. I hope you have a fantastic holiday." said Mr. Archibald, his tone cheery. Then he turned towards Denali and offered him a hand. "You too, young sir."

"Merry Christmas." Denali took Mr. Archibald's hand and shook it politely, but formally.

He looked over at me, gave me a nod and walked off towards the exit. I stared at his retreating back, confused and slightly taken aback at his abrupt departure. It wasn't like Denali and I were friends; it wasn't like I'd introduce him as an acquaintance either. But the way he just took off without a word of farewell didn't bode well with me. He had, after all, helped me out once again. So I called after him to stop him from leaving.

"We haven't discussed when we're going to work on the Potions assignment." I said, standing in front of him. "I suggest we start as soon as possible since submission date is in five days."

"We have two free periods tomorrow, after lunch."

"That's great!" I said, beaming at the thought of lounging in the common room for a whole period before classes resumed. "Why don't we spend the first free period solving the questionnaire?"

Denali shrugged. "I'll be there at the library."

He thrust his hands inside the pocket of his denim trousers and that was when I noticed that he was in Muggle clothing, complete with a black hoodie which made his uber pale features stand out starkly and sports sneakers. The surprise must've been evident on my face because he arched a white-blonde eyebrow, his purple eyes inquisitive. Though I was really curious to know what a pureblood Slytherin was doing in Muggle apparel, I wasn't ill mannered that I would ask him directly.

Instead, I shook my head and gave him a small smile. "I'll see you around, Denali."

With a salute, I turned my back to him and walked towards the corner of the store where Hermione and Luna stood staring at me, their argument on hold. Behind me, I heard Denali's firm footsteps, the sudden gush of cold wind that hit my back indicating his departure from the shop.

"Since when are you so friendly with Acheron Denali?" asked Hermione as soon as I was within hearing range.

"We're not friends." I corrected her. "But I guess we'll be seeing a bit more of each other considering Snape assigned us to work together on a project."

"You two must be getting along without any difficulty." Luna pointed out, a slight gleam in her eyes, the cause of which I couldn't define.

"Well, yeah. I mean, he isn't as…arrogant as the rest of the Slytherin lot." My nose scrunched in confusion at my own statement because I honestly couldn't understand how Denali could be so…normal.

"Really?" Though Hermione's expression remained neutral, the tone of her voice was laced with disbelief.

I crossed my arms and shifted my weight from one foot to both, straightening my spine. "Yes, Hermione. He really is quite different from his housemates."

"And you've known him for how long, exactly?"

"Are you trying to say something here?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "Cause if you are, I suggest you stop beating around the bush and just spit it out."

"Ginny-"

"What Hermione is trying to say," Luna cut in, throwing Hermione a meaningful look, "is that you should be careful not to let your guard down around people so easily."

I raised an eyebrow mockingly. Like I was going to buy Luna's explanation at Hermione's defense. I knew Luna wasn't bothered about me talking to Slytherins, so why was she defending Hermione? Weren't they fighting just moments ago?

"Hermione, I know you worry about me." I sighed, hating the fact that she thought I wasn't capable of taking care of myself. "But there is no need. It's not like I'll be getting chummy with Denali any soon."

It's not like he wanted to get chummy either. Acheron Denali didn't have friends, and I had a feeling it wasn't because of lack of trying on his house mates' part. He was a loner, a boy of small words. He wouldn't want to associate with me, a Gryffindor and not to mention, a Weasley. These thoughts made anger rise in me. What was he doing, being so nice and helpful to me anyway? Sure, I had never been the most accommodating to Slytherins, but it wasn't like I specifically picked on them. I only ever retaliated, just like all the other Houses. So why did he choose now, of all the times, to talk to me?

As Luna and Hermione went off to buy their own favourites from the assortment of sweets-now that they were done arguing with themselves and me-much to my own displeasure, I found myself thinking of Drac-Malfoy.

Why was he acting so differently? Other than Harry, Ron and Hermione, and sometimes Neville, he had never excessively bullied anyone from Gryffindor, at least not me. When he knew I had a crush on him, he used to laugh about it but he had never confronted me regarding my obsessive feelings for him, until that one night when I had followed him up to the Astronomy Tower.

He had been highly inebriated with firewhiskey, so he probably had no recollection of the things he had said to me. But I remembered it all with perfect clarity. He had told me that he couldn't even be bothered to look at me twice, let alone date me. I was a lowlife Weasley and he deserved a girl with a higher social standard. He had told me all that and so much more. The last straw had been when he had laughed cruelly and said to chase someone of my own league. I had run away after that.

For a whole week, I had been devastated. But in the end, I had too much self respect to mop after someone who clearly couldn't give two shits about me. So I reformed myself, reformed my feelings for him. I dated anyone who was good looking enough and it helped to rebuild my shattered self esteem when it came to men.

So after all these drama, why was Dra-Malfoy finally acknowledging my existence?

And for Merlin's sake, I had to stop calling the git by his first name. He was just Malfoy to me, as he should've been all along. From now on, there would be no confusion.

"…store across Three Broomsticks. What say, Ginny?"

The sound of my name brought me back from my contemplations. "Huh?"

Hermione huffed and repeated what she was saying. "There is this new clothing store right opposite to Three Broomsticks. Would you like to go there before we meet Harry and Ron for butterbeer?"

"Sure." I shrugged and turned to Luna. "You up for it?"

"Oh yes, I need to buy new jumpers." said Luna, dreamily munching on lime flavored nuts she had just bought.

"Let's go then." I hooked an arm through Hermione's and the other through Luna's, my bag of purchases hanging from one elbow.

As we stepped outside of the warmth of Honeydukes, getting hit by blasts of cold air once more, Hermione asked, "Weren't you supposed to meet Demelza at Honeydukes, Ginny?"

I scrunched my nose and turned my head towards the shop we had just vacated, even though I knew I wouldn't see my friend there. "Yeah, she said she'd be there for most of the trip."

"Oh well, maybe we missed her." Hermione shrugged nonchalantly, like it was no big deal.

"Yeah, maybe." I wasn't convinced though. Demelza and I weren't as tight as me and Luna, but we were still pretty close friends. So I knew when she was going out of her way to avoid company.

Making a mental note of having a heart-to-heart with Demelza, I listened to Hermione chatter about how she heard that the new clothing store had fashionable items at a reasonable price. Though I could afford expensive clothes now and then, I tried not to give into my whims and waste money on dresses or shoes which cost more than necessary. I've been saving up on my allowances for future purposes, just in case I needed money my parents couldn't or wouldn't give me. So I was eager to visit this new store.

We were near The Three Broomsticks now, walking at a lazy pace. It would be getting dark soon, but we still had a couple of hours in our hand. Luna excitedly prattled about how she couldn't wait to see the Solaris Pixies at night.

"I hope Colin brought his Muggle camera." said Luna wistfully. "Though the pictures don't move, I'd like some of mine taken with the pixies."

"Colin couldn't make it today." The flippancy of my tone caused both the girls to raise their eyebrows. I shrugged and went on. "Apparently, the events of the morning have taken its toll on his psyche."

"Aah, I see." Luna gave me a knowing look, like she knew I was no longer interested in Colin.

"Oh, Ginny, I completely forgot to tell you!" We halted in the middle of our track at Hermione's exclamation.

Hermione's eyes flickered towards Luna for a moment, and I could tell that she was hesitating in front of Luna. But whatever she told me, I would tell Luna anyway, so I gave her a reassuring look.

"I talked to Professor McGonagall." Hermione took a deep breath and let it out, the exhaled air forming a wisp of fog in front of her face. "It seems that I was right about the wand checks."

"And?" I held my breath in anticipation, eager to know what else she had found.

Hermione sighed. "They didn't find anything."

I was stunned. How could that be? "But someone definitely cursed Flint, that much is obvious. If wand checks are as efficient as you said, then how come they couldn't find the person who attacked Flint?"

"What are you two talking about?" Luna was looking at both of us with her eyebrows drawn in confusion.

I hadn't had the opportunity to tell Luna about Flint's attack or Malfoy and the patrol. Since I didn't want Hermione to know of either, I explained the essentials to Luna, how both of us had a hunch that someone used Dark magic on Flint and how Hermione's theory of wand checks came true. When we would be alone, I'd tell her about Flint's attempted rape and Blaise Zabini's involvement.

"So basically, the professors were lousy in their attempts to perform wand checks." I came to the conclusion, crossing my arms and looking irritatedly at Hermione.

"I wouldn't say that, Ginny." Hermione was chewing her lips, looking as confused as I felt. "We've got the most talented of witches and wizards teaching at Hogwarts. Surely they know what they're doing."

"Well, there's always the possibility that whoever cursed Flint got his or her wand signature modified." Hermione and I turned towards Luna, not expecting her words at all.

"That's not possible, Luna." said Hermione. When the blonde just raised her eyebrows, Hermione's tone became exasperated. "Do you know the magnitude of skills and precision needed to erase magical signatures from wands? I hardly think a teenager would be capable of such feat. Even I'm not capable of it, the procedure is so advanced and complex!"

"Not the most modest of the bunch, are you now." I snorted while Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I wouldn't be surprised if someone who has the caliber to perform Dark magic can erase wand signatures as well." said Luna, her voice surprisingly somber.

"Aside from the fact that it's one of the toughest branches of magic, the owner of the wand has to stay away from it when the signature is being erased. Meaning that it is always someone else who has to perform the necessary spells." Hermione wrung her hands in the air, as if it was preposterous that she was even explaining all these. "It's a way too complicated procedure for 17 year olds."

"So says the witch who brewed the Polyjuice Potion in her 2nd year." I commented, earning a flattered beam from Hermione.

"Really though, I don't think slimy Slytherins are extra-ordinary enough to perform such magic."

Hermione did have a point. As far as I knew, no one in Slytherin was that advanced academically. So even with all these information, I was back in square one with only one route to take, and that was confronting Zabini. I just had to know if he had attacked Flint or not, for my own peace of mind.

"Anyway, let's get moving." Hermione ushered us towards the new shop, which stood ten feet or so ahead of us. "What really happened to Flint is not our headache in the first place."

"Yes, it isn't." The slight dubiety in Luna's tone would've been indiscernible to anyone else, but I was her best friend and so heard it quite clearly. She knew I wasn't telling her vital information, so I mouthed a silent "Later." behind Hermione's head.

From the outside, the new store looked rather impressive. Walls made of facing bricks colored in black brought the cream display windows to one's attention. In each of the windows, mannequins were waving at passers-by or twirling the dresses they wore. Overhead, in swirling gold letters which seemed to glow brighter as darkness fell, the black signboard said, "Master Elphin's Clothing Apparel for Witches and Wizards."

I climbed the couple of steps leading to the store and wrenched the wooden door open. A bell tinkered softly somewhere inside the shop, indicating the arrival of new customers. Standing to the side, I held the door open. "Well, Hermione, why don't you do the honors?" I motioned gallantly for my two companions to enter ahead of me.

Once I entered and closed the door, I stared, slack jawed, at the interior of the store. From the outside, it had seemed that the store couldn't be any bigger than the Three Broomsticks, but the owner must've cast a shrinking charm to the bricks because the inside was huge. What awed me wasn't the size of the establishment though, but the mannequins which moved freely inside the store. At first glance, one would think that the store was brimming with customers, when in truth it was full of mannequins, both male and female, exhibiting stylishly tailored clothing.

Instead of candles and torches, spheres of brilliant white sparks, suspended high up near the ceiling, lighted the store. The walls were painted in geometric shapes of black, white and grey with splashes of gold here and there. Racks upon racks of silver lined every wall artfully, stacked with clothing items ranging from dress robes, ball gowns, to casual winter wear. I hadn't even started browsing the clothes yet, but I already loved the store.

With excited, feminine squeals which were very rare when it came to Hermione, Luna and me, we dashed across the store in different directions, impatient to check out all the clothing displayed. Hermione was at the dress robes section, Luna was checking out jumpers and sweaters, while I eagerly rummaged through racks of trousers. It's not like my wardrobe needed an updating, but all these pairs of leggings and denims and pants were so impeccably tailored, I wished I could take the whole lot of them home. They cost much more than I wanted to spend on, but Hermione had been right when she they were reasonably priced. The quality of the material and the perfect stitches along the seams weren't supposed to cost any less.

I picked up a black and grey leopard printed leggings, staring at it wistfully. The material was opaque but became teasingly see through once stretched. I had a blue blouse which would go quite nicely with it, but I couldn't afford to waste 6 galleons. As if to tempt me, a mannequin sidled out of nowhere and began to advertise the royal blue silk shirt it was wearing. I didn't know what to do to make the mannequin go away, awkwardly ignoring it as I put the leggings back onto the rack, when a slightly high pitched and nasal voice made me look up.

"If you paired that up with this shirt, the outfit would clash superbly with your hair."

It was rather rude of me to stare at the man as I was, with my mouth slightly open, but I couldn't help it. He presented the most bizarre image I'd ever seen.

The first thing that caught my attention was his hair. Numerous rust-colored braids, thinned at the tips, reached past his chest, tied magically without any ribbons. His skin had a healthy, glowing tan which didn't quite suit his matte brown hair, and he looked to be in his early thirties. Under the bright light of the overhead spheres, his irises were pitch-black with the corner of his eyes slightly slanted. Roughly my height, he had a thin, oval face, thin lips and a long, pointed nose that gave him a waifish look. Dressed in an indigo robe with grey and dark green embroidery at the hems, he looked artfully eccentric.

I smiled at him slightly when he wiggled the yellow satin shirt he held in one hand. "I don't know. I've always felt rather insecure about that color."

"Oh, that's nonsense." He waved a hand dismissively and picked up the leopard printed leggings I had let go moments before. Ushering me towards a nearby mirror, he held the shirt and leggings in front of me and looked at my reflection gleefully. "See? The contrast brings out the hue of your hair."

And it did. If I curled the tips of my hair, applied smoky eye shadow and wore grey pumps with the shirt and leggings, I would actually look quite good. Too bad I couldn't even afford a single article of clothing, let alone the whole outfit. Too embarrassed to say that out loud, I just shook my head and gave the man a wan smile.

"That's a really beautiful shirt, but I'm afraid I've finished my Christmas shopping." I let out a regretful sigh to enhance the credibility of my lie. "I wish I had come here sooner, though. These are quite fashionable." I motioned to the rack of leggings I had been browsing.

"Thank you." He tucked the clothes under his arm and did a funny, little bow."Matthias Elphin, at your service."

"Aah, Master Elphin." From the moment I had seen him, I had an inkling that he held some sort of an artistic value, and so it came as no surprise to me to when he introduced himself as the owner of the store. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Ginny Weasley."

Recognition sparked in his onyx eyes. "As in, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes?"

"The one and only." I took pride in the fact that Fred and George's establishment was popular among eccentric fashion designers as well.

"Well, even if you aren't interested in purchasing any of my clothing, you must, must see my Boudoir." He was already ushering me towards the other end of the store, and that was when I noticed the lone wall devoid of any racks or displays. It had Japanese calligraphy done on the surface in red and gold paint which contrasted beautifully with the black background.

I craned my neck to see what my companions were doing. Hermione was carrying a set of dress robes in her hand, looking inquisitively at me and the queer man who was, for some reason, taking out his wand. Luna, it seemed, was trying to talk to mannequins. When our eyes met, I motioned for her to join me and did the same to Hermione. As they started to make their way towards me, I turned towards Master Elphin and staggered back.

Where previously stood a wall was now the entrance to another room, a room full of decadently displayed lingerie. The interior of the room was very cozy, courtesy of the soft, yellow lighting and dark red, velvet couches situated at the center of the floor. Signature matte black walls held racks upon racks of lingerie, all color coordinated and just begging to be tried on.

Though I wasn't ostentatious when it came to underwear, I wasn't a prude either. I never had a guy to please, but I still liked wearing sexy lingerie. It boosted my feminine confidence and made me feel wanted.

"I didn't know this store had a lingerie section." Hermione's voice held a tinge of surprise as she stood beside me, staring wide eyed at the extension of the store.

I quickly introduced Hermione and Luna to Master Elphin, who gave them both the peculiar little bow he had given me.

"We do not advertise it because this is Hogsmeade and thus, too formal a place to sell women's underwear." Master Elphin's nose was scrunched in distaste, as if the idea appalled him. "I personally think the British are too concerned about propriety."

"Aren't you British?" Considering he didn't have an accent, I was slightly perplexed.

"No, _mans__dārgais_ (my dear), I'm Latvian."

"Oh, Latvia is a beautiful country." Luna piped up. "My father went there once, to hunt for purple hump-backed Heliopaths."

There was an awkward moment of silence, in which Master Elphin looked at Luna quizzically while the blonde just gave him a blissful smile. Clearing his throat, he flung an arm towards the room and guided us in.

"Every design you see here is part of a limited collection, and since it is holiday season, there is 20% discount on every pair." Master Elphin surveyed the room proudly by doing a slow 360 degree turn on his heels. The soft chiming of bells from the entrance of the store had him shifting his attention from his precious boudoir. "Why don't you lovely ladies take a look around? I'll be right back."

More than happy to oblige, we started to browse the 'boudoir'. Fabrics ranging from cotton to satin and lace had been utilized to create the most hedonistic pieces of lingerie I'd ever seen. Full cups, demi cups, thin strings, tubes; the boudoir had everything! I even saw a Christmas special set, the red and green satin bra and panties covered with fluffy, white fur on the linings. Luna and I had a good laugh teasing Hermione about it, who usually preferred modest cotton sets in conservative colors.

"Hermione, it's time you started adding satin to your underwear collection." I snatched the beige cotton set from Hermione's grasp and put it back on the rack, ignoring her protests. Though nothing in the boudoir was less than attractive, even the demure cotton bras and panties, I wanted the elder girl to try out new things.

"Here, try these on." I thrust a set of strawberry pink lingerie into Hermione's chest and then dragged her towards the dressing rooms, which were concealed by dark red drapes.

"Ginny, these are so not my ty-"

"Just try them!" I glared at her, which effectively stopped any argument she would've indulged in.

Once she was out of sight, I walked back towards Luna, who had somehow found a basket and was already putting three sets in it for trial. I had a sudden moment of panic when I saw the wall we had initially walked through had closed itself, but I assured myself it would open again when we were done inside. Surely that was the mechanism?

"You have a lot to tell me, don't you?"

"Luna, you read me so easily." I drawled out, earning a small smirk from the blonde.

As we browsed the scrumptious selection of lingerie, I narrated everything that had happened last night, detailing Flint's attack and Zabini's rescue. Luna's eyes had widened when I told her how Flint had tried to rape me, but unlike Demelza, she didn't immediately start to scold me for not reporting him. Also, she didn't voice the suspicion I knew she felt regarding Zabini. For a long moment, Luna kept quite while I fiddled with the strings of a magenta lace bra, contemplating whether I should get it or not.

"You know, Zabini is not really as dumb as people take him for."

I cocked an eyebrow at Luna's statement. "What do you mean?"

"He is smart enough to create a wand block and change a magical signature."

Gaping at her, I was unable to formulate what I had learned. "You mean he-but wait! Hermione said you can't place a block in your own wand."

Luna shrugged. "Draco Malfoy is also smart enough to _learn_ the necessary spells if his best friend is in need."

_Okay_, this really was getting out of hand. I was no sleuth, but even a professional could tell how confusing the whole scenario sounded.

"But what motive would Zabini have?" I stared absently at the dressing rooms, scratching the back of my neck in confusion. "Flint is his housemate, for crying out loud. There's nothing that couldn't have been solved by good old ragging. Why would he curse him?"

"I have a feeling you're not going to rest until you find out." Luna gave me a knowing smile and walked off towards the changing rooms, her basket of trial items swinging in one arm.

She was right. Next time I encountered Blaise Zabini, doesn't matter who he was with, I was going to accost him till he told me the truth. With that resolution firmly set in my mind, I went about filling my own trial basket.

I wasn't too kinky with my choice of lingerie, but I was a teenage girl, after all. I needed sexy undergarments just to make me feel confident in my own skin. Thus, when I saw the black and green stain set, studded with silver stars on the edge of the cups, I knew I just had to try it on. The fabric wasn't completely see-through, but it was a pushup with demi-cups, and the dark color combination would go nicely with my skin tone and hair color. Too bad I didn't have anyone to appreciate it.

Tamping down the sudden wave of loneliness, I quickly dumped my selections on the basket and skipped towards the dressing rooms. Just before entering though, a slightly haggard looking Hermione barged through the drapes concealing the room and nearly bumped into me.

"Do you look that bad in pink?" I enquired, smirking softly.

"No, no, it's not that." Hermione huffed and looked back at the trial rooms, an irritated expression on her face. "I just remembered that Ron asked me to meet him early at the Three Broomsticks."

"Ooo, does my brother have a hot date planned for his lady love?" I waggled my eyebrows suggestively, earning a thwack on my elbow.

"I'm going to go pay for this set and the dress robes, and then I'm going to head out, ok? And _please_ don't take that long in here. I get so bored when the guys talk Quidditch."

I laughed. "High time you enlightened that brain of yours with some latest Quidditch facts, Hermione. It would do you good, trust me."

Hermione just shook her head and made her way towards the wall we had entered through. I held my breath, my mind making up scenarios of Hermione comically blasting the bricks because they failed to let her through, when the wall started to part methodically as Hermione stood a couple of feet from it. Calling myself an idiot for thinking we might get trapped in here, I finally parted the velvet drapes in front of me and stepped inside the dressing room.

The room was half the size of the boudoir, circular and with mirrors covering the length of the walls. Rose wood partitions formed six compartments, each covered by similar velvet drapes which probably flowed down from the ceiling to conceal the occupant inside. Unlike the boudoir, the lighting was harsh, illuminating every aspect of the body and hiding nothing from the eye. I did a three sixty degree turn on my feet, surveying the posh trial room. The décor resembled a lounging area, except that there were no couches or love seats. Like the rest of the store though, it looked graceful and regal and thoroughly impressive.

I was making my way towards the compartment at the far end, eager to know how my selections looked on me, when the only other occupant of the room started to sing from the inside of her compartment.

"_Oh, come and stir my cauldron_

_And if you do it right_

_I'll boil you up some hot, strong love_

_To keep you warm tonight."_

Groaning, I stepped inside the compartment and the drapes fell down immediately, veiling me in privacy. Staring at my reflection on the full-length mirror directly in front of me, I shouted at Luna. "I can't believe you actually like that song!"

"What's not to like about it?" came Luna's wispy reply from the neighboring compartment.

"Well, it's too needy for any self-respecting woman, for one. Cristina Warbeck probably hit a dry spell in her marriage when she composed this." I placed the basket on the small couch sitting in the corner of the compartment and started to take my clothes off, starting with the coat. "Were you singing while Hermione was in here, by any chance?"

"Oh yes, I was."

I laughed and shook my head, unbuttoning the coat and shrugging it off. "No wonder she looked irritated when she got out. Hermione hates that song as much as my mum loves it, which is quite a lot!"

Instead of replying, Luna continued into the second verse. It was a good thing she had a decent voice, or else I would've hightailed out of the trial room just like Hermione. I was too proud and independent to bear the song.

For a moment, I took in the image of the girl on the mirror. I had decided to wear my hair down today, and the long, red locks fell just under my breasts, as straight as a stick. Underneath the blue trench coat, I wore a plain light grey, full sleeved woolen pullover which would probably make my mom frown because it molded to my breasts and waist so tightly, it enhanced the curves I possessed. I didn't care though. The sweater made me look good and the wool was so soft, it felt comfortable against my skin. Besides, what Mum couldn't see wouldn't hurt her.

After the top came off, I unbuttoned the black denim pants and slid them down my legs. When I straightened, I was only in my baby pink, polka dotted underwear. I sighed at my reflection. Sometimes, I thought I looked too young for my age. Maybe it was the light splattering of freckles on the bridge of my nose and shoulders, or the boniness of my limbs. I've always hated my freckles. The summer of my 5th year was probably one of the happiest summers ever, because that was when they grew a couple of shades lighter.

It wasn't like I was under the misconception that I had an unattractive body. Sure, I could use a bit more fat in my breasts and I wouldn't mind having a curvier waist. But I had enough guys tell me that I looked good naked to not feel insecure about my body. Thus, without wasting time on my reflection, I took my underwear off and was standing in my birthday suit. It was the good thing that the air was a lot warmer in the dressing room than it was in the boudoir, or else I would've been a shivering wreck.

I donned the panties first, knowing they would fit me nicely. The bra though, was at least thrice my size, and it made me wonder if women really had natural breasts this big. But like in rest of the wizarding clothes stores, once the fabric touched my skin and I hooked the clasp behind my back, the cups decreased to my size.

The satin bra was dark green in color, strips of black chiffon crisscrossing the lower part of the cups. Small, shiny metals shaped like stars studded the underside of the cups, right above the lining of the wires. A tiny, black satin ribbon formed a bow in the middle of two cups, just below my sternum. The panties had no black in them, just the studs lining the waistband, and the simplicity of it further enhanced the allure of the bra.

As I checked myself out in the mirror, noticing how the dark green made my skin and hair look vibrant, how the cups pushed my breasts up and blessed me with an impressive cleavage, and I wondered what Draco Malfoy would think if he saw me right now. Would he like what he saw? Or would he accuse me of being a desperate slag?

Shaking my head in self-disgust, I scowled at my reflection. Why did it even matter what that slimy git thought of my body? It wasn't like he was dying to see it anyway. It was completely pathetic of me to even fantasize about scenarios where I was naked in his presence.

I heard the drapes covering Luna's compartment swish apart and her footsteps coming out. "Ginny, I'm heading out to get more sets." she called out. "These don't look that good on me."

Unhooking the black and green bra, I made an unintelligible noise to let her know that I heard her. This set was definitely going to my underwear closet, thanks to the sale, or else it would've been a bit too pricey for my peace of mind. The other set I brought along-a purple and cream lacey bra with a little satin bow in the middle along with purple panties-had looked great on the rack, but wasn't so impressive under the harsh lighting.

I was pondering whether to try it on or not when I heard a shrilly laugh outside. There was something familiar about the voice and I was sure I had heard it somewhere before. I didn't have to wonder who it belonged to for long though, for her next words made her identity quite clear.

"Blaise, you're unbelievable." Pansy Parkinson's voice floated across the trial room, coming closer by the second. "I can't believe you managed to convince Draco to keep guard outside!"

"What can I say? Even he isn't immune to my charms." came Zabini's haughty reply, along with a giggle from Parkinson. "Besides, you brought him here before, so it's only fair that I get the honor to see the place this time."

Parkinson said something in reply, but I was suddenly too distracted to hear it. She had not only brought Dra-Malfoy to a lingerie store, but also inside the trial room. Only girlfriends would do that for their significant others. The thought had unwanted jealousy raging through my veins.

Unlike rest of the student body of Hogwarts, I always thought Parkinson and Malfoy were just friends with benefits, not a couple, even though they tended to get cozy in public. Now, I wasn't so sure anymore. It shouldn't have mattered to me what their relationship status was. I wasn't even supposed to care. Hell, I always knew they had a physical relationship. Merlin knows I've envied Parkinson for being one of those few girls who had Drac-Malfoy in their beds, had known his touch. But the possibility of them being more than friends with benefits had never crossed my mind until now.

There was no point in thinking about them together, so I went back to eavesdropping on the conversation taking outside and heard Parkinson say, "You can stay here and wait, or you can go out and chill with Draco." With that, her footsteps made their way towards the other side of the room and into the compartment on the far right.

"I'll just go out and keep Draco in company. I've seen all there is to see-mind you, I'm not that impressed-and Merlin knows Draco has started brooding by now." From the loudness of Zabini's voice, I could tell he was directly in front of my compartment.

In a fraction of a second, an idea struck my mind. Considering the entourage Zabini kept, the possibility of getting him alone in normal circumstances was close to nil. This was probably my only chance to catch him off guard and take advantage of the situation, drill him senseless and get him to clear the air regarding Flint's situation.

I peeked from behind the curtains and sure enough, Zabini was standing right in front of my compartment with his back to me. Taking a deep breath, I was about to close the curtains to put my coat on when my eyes landed on the image in the mirrored wall.

He had caught my reflection in the mirror, dammit. His body started to turn towards me and I saw his mouth open, but I couldn't let him call my name out loud, lest he alerted Parkinson. So without thinking about the fact that nothing covered my body except an unhooked bra and panties, I grabbed his arm and hauled him inside the compartment, slapping my free hand over his mouth to stop him from screaming out.

Though he was stronger and faster than me, and I was in a rather compromising condition, I had a feeling Zabini wouldn't try to overpower me physically. Even then, I struck the hand that had been holding onto his arm inside my coat pocket-which was lying on the small couch-and held my wand to his nose.

"We need to talk, Zabini."

His eyes were wide open in shock, as if he couldn't believe the situation he was in. I slowly retracted my hand off his mouth, but he stayed silent for a long moment, appraising my form. I saw his eyes take in my attire-or the lack of it-and a surprisingly guilty look entered his eyes. Of course he was more than familiar with the female body, so I had expected him to gawk for a while and be done with it. The sudden uneasiness in his expression was something I hadn't expected at all.

"Weasley, what the fuck?" he hissed, and I shushed him with a glare.

"Look, I know this may seem awkward and-"

"Awkward? You're trying to seduce me here. Of course it's awkward!"

"Be quite." I prodded his nose with my wand to make a point and quickly put on my coat, whispering, "Why would _I_ try to seduce _you_? Even the idea of it is preposterous!"

"Gee, I don't know, Weasley." Zabini crossed his arms and smirked at me, his tone laced with sarcasm. "Maybe it's the fact that you tried to maul me half naked?"

"I wasn't mauling you!" I heaved and tried to keep my voice down. These Slytherins were so hard to deal with, I was starting to think I deserved an award for being able to bear their presence without losing my mind. "We really need to talk."

Zabini quirked an ebony eyebrow and leaned back against the compartment wall, the smirk still in place. "You have a very interesting way of conversing, I give you that."

I rolled my eyes and stepped towards him so that he could hear me whisper. As I came closer, I caught a whiff of his cologne, a fresh fragrance that reminded me of how the Forbidden Forest smelled after a storm. Any other girl would've swooned all over Zabini just because of how good he smelled, but it had little effect on me. It bothered me very much, because even as I tried to appreciate it, I knew he couldn't even compare to how his best friend smelled.

Shaking my head to clear these unwanted thoughts, I narrowed my eyes at him and asked the question that had been bothering me the whole day. "Did you curse Flint last night?"

He blinked, and then his smirk changed into a full-on grin, baffling me completely. That wasn't the reaction I was hoping for to give him away.

"I've been wondering when you'd confront me." he said, looking very pleased with himself for some reason. "Got to say though, I like the setup. It's very intimidating for an interrogation."

"Stop stalling and just answer the freaking question, Zabini." I said through gritted teeth, his sarcasm grating my nerves.

He obviously took great pleasure in my irritation, because he only grinned down at me, looking like he had all the time in the world for this conversation. "No, I did not curse Flint last night." he finally said, shrugging and leaning more comfortably against the wooden wall.

"But you took him to the Slytherin common room?" I asked. Maybe Zabini was a terrific actor, or maybe he really was speaking the truth when he said he wasn't the one to attack Flint. Either way, I believed him. What I was sure of though, was that he was the last person to see Flint before the douche bag got beaten up.

"I did." he said, the amusement in his tone making me uncomfortable.

I stared at him for a long moment, scrutinizing his features for any detail that would indicate he was lying. Unfortunately, I found none. But that would mean I was back in square one, not even close to figuring out who really attacked Flint.

Letting out a subdued sigh of frustration, I hardened my stare and decided to try another tactic. "You know, Zabini, if I tell McGonagall what happened last night, you will be in trouble."

Looking least bothered about the threat, he raised his eyebrows mockingly. "Considering I saved your virtue last night, it would be a shitty way to pay me back." He dipped his head slightly and whispered, "Not the most grateful of the bunch, are you now?"

I knew he was trying to make me feel bad by taking advantage of my Gryffindor honor. Damn the cunning Slytherin prick, but it was working. Both of us knew I wasn't going to rat him out to the Deputy Headmistress and even if I did, it would be of no use since the wand checks had revealed nothing. There was also the matter of my conscience which kept telling me that Zabini wasn't the one who attacked Flint.

_But then who?_

"Zabini, I know _you_ know who cursed Flint." I found myself saying. "And I want you to tell me who it is."

Now he was the one who stared at me, his eyes roving over my features in an almost critical fashion. I kept my expression hard and neutral, trying not to let it show how much I wanted the information.

"Suppose I did know who beat up dear ol' Lucas." he finally said, a mock-thoughtful look on his face. "What makes you think I'd tell you?"

He had a point. I tried not to let out a frustrated screech as I pondered on what to say next. A stray thought crossed my mind, but I immediately pushed it away because it was absurd and unexplainable. Why would Draco Malfoy curse Flint anyway?

"Tell me something, Weaslette." Zabini looked down at me curiously, seeming completely at ease with the situation. "Why do _you_ want to know the identity of Flint's attacker so bad? Shouldn't you be glad that someone gave him the bashing of his lifetime after what he tried to do to you?"

"Maybe I want to thank him." I said flippantly.

For some reason, my answer had him laughing out loud. I glared at him and slapped my hand over his mouth once again to shut him up, but it was too late.

"Blaise, are you still in here?" came Parkinson's shrill voice from the other side of the room.

Though I started to panic, I kept glaring at Zabini and mouthed, "_Not a word._" If Parkinson discovered us like this, the rumors of me and Zabini getting frisky in the trial rooms would spread like wildfire throughout the school, and I couldn't have that. It wasn't like I particularly cared what people thought of me, but it did piss me off that people would believe it so easily. Besides, I didn't want to deal with a furious Ronald Weasley later on.

Zabini's eyes danced with amusement as I strained my ears to listen for any movement outside. The soft swish of drapes parting got me tensed, and I must've pressed my hand harder on his mouth because in the next instant, I felt a stinging bite on my palm.

"What the fuck!" I screeched involuntarily, wringing my palm in the air to take the sting away.

The prick just rolled his eyes and made a zipping motion above his lips to show that he wouldn't call out to his female companion. Though I was relieved, it made me wonder why he was being so accommodating. In fact, being who he was, he should've been trying to feel me up or cursing me instead of going along with my flow.

As if he read my mind, he leaned down and whispered devilishly, "Don't fool yourself, Weaslette. I'm going to tell Draco all about this, ah, encounter as soon as I'm out of here."

With a leveled look of my own, I held his gaze and raised an eyebrow, waiting for Parkinson to depart. As soon as I heard her footfalls leave the trial room, I sneered out, "I couldn't care less about what you say to that slimy bastard. Merlin knows you guys tend to gossip like a bunch of girls."

"You've got so much pent-up hate in you, it's no wonder you're like a cranky old woman most of the time."

Zabini was smirking now, quite happy to be able to make fun of me. I just rolled my eyes and scoffed, letting him know his jibe didn't even struck a nerve. "Oh please, _hating _would mean caring and as I said, I couldn't care less." I stepped away and pressed my back against the other side of the compartment, parting the drapes and looking expectantly at him.

"As immensely enjoying as your company has been, Zabini, I'd like you to leave now." I said, motioning for him to go away.

He grinned and just stood there, looking very pleased about…something. Out of frustration, I was about to let out a scathing comment when suddenly, he stepped towards me, his eyes perusing my body almost sensually. My own eyes widened when he leaned closer and said, "Thanks for the show, Weasley."

Gaping at his departing back, I looked down and let out a half-embarrassed, half-annoyed groan. Sometime during our conversation, my blasted coat had parted open and the unhooked bra and panties I sported left nothing to the imagination. I banged my head on the wooden wall a couple of times for being so spontaneous, because let's face it, it had landed me nowhere with Zabini. Instead, I had lost my dignity in front of the biggest playboy of Hogwarts and would lose it to Draco Malfoy as soon as Zabini opened his mouth.

_Merlin_, why did things never go my way?

I hastily dressed and picked up the basket full of discarded pieces of lingerie, not even bothering to put them back on their hangers. My mind was too occupied to follow such mundane rituals. Just when I stepped outside of the trial room, I bumped into a rather disturbed looking blonde.

"Hey Luna, I was about to come and join-"

"Did I really see Zabini leave the trial room or was it the Wrackspurts messing with my mind?" she asked pensively.

I gave her a sheepish grin. "Trust me, I'm dying to tell you what just happened back there. But this is not the place for it."

Dumping the basket on a couch , I grasped her elbow and steered her out of the boudoir and into the main section of the store. In the half an hour or so we had spent inside, the number of customers had increased and Master Elphin was busy wrapping purchases at the counter.

"Did you decide to buy anything?" I asked Luna, surveying the occupants of the store as I waited for the couple in front of me to clear the way. There were no Slytherins in sight, atleast, not anyone from the 7th year, and the observation had me sighing inwardly in relief. I didn't think I could face Zabini _or_ Malfoy so soon.

"Yeah, I did." replied Luna, jiggling a shiny, black and gold packet in her hand. "I paid for them too."

"Good." The couple finally moved and I started walking toward the door.

"Wait, aren't you going to get anything?" Luna asked, skipping slightly to keep up with my long steps.

I thought of the black and green bra I had tried on and how perfect it looked on me. Sighing, I shook my head. "Some other time, maybe. Right now, I just want to go to the Three Broomsticks, have a gallon of butterbeer and tell you _everything_."

With that, I stepped out of the artificial warmth of Master Elphin's store and was greeted by a blast of bitter, glacial night air which nearly knocked me off my feet.

**Blaise**

_[7.30 pm] _

I hadn't taken too steps away from Master Elphin's store when someone slapped at my biceps.

"Blaise Zabini, where _were_ you?"

Though I would never tell it to her face, Pansy had a very annoying voice. At times, it made me want to choke her but I always refrained from doing so. Killing her would only make me sad, and I hated feeling sad over something, or in this case, over someone.

"Pansy darling, were you worried about me?" I teased her, knowing it would make her huff and drop the subject of my disappearance.

As predicted, she did exactly that and linked her arms through mine. On reflex, I took the hold of the bags she had been carrying and let her steer me towards Three Broomsticks.

"It seems like Draco is immune to your so-called charms after all." she said good naturedly. "When I walked out of the trial room, he was nowhere in sight!"

"And you figured he'd be at the Three Broomsticks?" I rolled my eyes and gave her a playful shove. "Draco hates that place more than he hates Quidditch players on backdated brooms!"

Pansy laughed at my comparison before shrugging and saying, "I don't know where Draco is, but I _do_ know that Greg has been holding a table for us for the past 20 minutes. We should show up at least. You know how fragile his ego is."

"Yes, but I didn't know _you_ cared about his feelings so much." I said, only for the sake of teasing, because I _did_ know the depth of emotion Pansy felt for Greg. Given the circumstances of her family though, it was better if I didn't comment on her love life at all.

Arm in arm, we were about to step up and into the Three Broomsticks when a familiar drawl stopped us in our tracks.

"Frequenting rundown pubs now, I see. Have you two run out of pocket money?"

"Pardon us, Your Highness." I retorted sarcastically, turning slightly to acknowledge the blonde's presence. "What do you suggest we do? Apparate to the nearest PlayWitch bar?"

While Pansy giggled, Draco smirked at me and walked across the paved street, coming closer. "Now there's a thought."

I grinned and was about to recall what happened the last time we went to a PlayWitch bar when he stopped walking abruptly and I noticed a sudden shift in his expression. It went away as quickly as it had come, but his eyes remained narrowed, a slightly suspicious look in them which I could detect only because I knew him so well. As he held my confused gaze, he said, "Will you give us a minute, Pans?"

Though he made it sound like a question, both Pansy and I knew she didn't have a choice but to adhere by it. Mirroring my confusion, she looked at Draco worriedly before turning on her heels and entering the pub, leaving both of us standing on the streets.

"So, Blaise."

It would be useless to reply to his statement, so I let it hang in the air, arching an eyebrow instead in question. Something was up with Draco and we had to talk it out now, or else he would combust and do something rash, which I knew from past experiences could turn things ugly.

"Why is it," he took a step towards me and paused-and in that moment, I thought I saw a menacing, red haze fall over his eyes-before he continued, "that you smell of _her_?"

**Draco**

_[7.40 pm]_

The compulsion to grab hold of Blaise's neck and choke him was strong, but I held myself back only by sheer force of will. He was one of my closest friends and he deserved a chance to explain. For his own benefit though, I wish he would hurry up and get done with it because I could feel my control hanging by a thin thread.

The moment I had smelled the familiar kiwi scent on him, my mind had started to go haywire. Unbidden images of Blaise and _her_ together had started to assail my mind and I thought I would pounce on him and rip his throat out. Fortunately for him, Pansy's presence had brought a semblance of sense back and stopped me from mutilating him. Considering the tumult that raged in me though, I was surprised to hear how relatively calm I sounded.

"How did you know I was with her?" he finally asked, the confusion in his eyes starting to dissipate.

_With her. _It was the wrong thing to say.

A low growl escaped my throat and within seconds, I had him slammed against the stoned wall of the Three Broomsticks. Blaise let out strangled groan when his back connected harshly with the paved surface. Though it's been months, I still wasn't used to having so much strength and power in my limbs. It made me feel disoriented at times, but in moments like this, I relished it. Grabbing him by the collars of his shirt, I slammed his lolling shoulders back against the wall and hissed, "You better start explaining _now_, Zabini."

"Weasley cornered me at Elphin's to know who was behind Flint's attack." he gasped out, struggling to breathe over my choking hold.

"Is that so?" I sneered, not ready to believe anything he said in my infuriated state.

"Yes, damn you." Somehow, Blaise garnered the strength to raise his hands and wrapped them around my wrists, trying to ease the hold I had on his throat. "I'll give you my memory if that'll convince you."

I stared at him for a long time, trying to use the pained sincerity on his face as a rope to climb up from the raging pit I was in. If he had done something I would kill him for, the memory of it would be the last thing he'd want to show me. The realization, coupled with the threads of guilt I started to feel, finally made me step away from him. The guilt intensified when Blaise slumped against the wall and heaved, trying to catch his breath.

"_Merlin_, Draco." he exclaimed, wincing slightly as he tried to stand up straight.

I knew I had acted rashly, but I couldn't apologize to him. I _never_ apologized. Instead, I pulled my wand out and cast a quick, efficient healing spell on him which made him blink a couple of times before he could pull himself upright. It was my way of showing repentance for my actions.

Crossing his arms, Blaise looked at me warily and said, "Of all the blokes in the world, _I'm_ the last person who'd try to hook with Weasley. You know that."

"I do, Blaise. It's just-"

"You don't have to explain, alright? I get it." Blaise uncrossed his arms and ran a hand through his hair, staring up absently at the night sky before looking back at me. "It's soon, isn't it?"

"Day after tomorrow."

"So…you smelled her on me?" inquired Blaise, looking rather uncomfortable at the thought. "That's how you knew were to-I had been around her?"

I gave a dark laugh at his modified question before nodding. "My senses heighten as it gets closer to the full moon."

"Yeah I remember now." He shook his head and chuckled. "Guess I'll have to bathe every day from now on. Wouldn't want you bullying me because I smell funny."

Just like that, I knew I was forgiven. It was a good thing that Blaise didn't hold grudges, or else we couldn't have been friends at all. Smirking, I was about to make a snotty comment on how he could always borrow my cologne when a blast of chilly air breezed across the street and brought back the smell of kiwis. This time though, it wasn't the light remnants of the scent wafting from Zabini's clothes. It was _her_. She was around here, somewhere.

I turned my head and there she was, exiting the clothing shop. She didn't see me at first, too busy clutching and pulling at her coat so that it hugged her form and sheltered her from the cold wind. It probably didn't, if the shiver that ran through her was any indication. Lovegood said something to her which made her laugh but as soon as she turned her head and saw me, the smile slipped from her face.

In that moment, I _hated _her.

I hated her for making me lose my mind with so much possessiveness that I attacked my own friend. I hated her for being so fucking stubborn and pretending that I didn't affect her. I hated her for being the only thing that could keep me sane at times I feared I'd drown in madness. I hated her for having the option to ignore my existence when I couldn't even look away from her.

And I fucking hated her for looking so damn beautiful under the light of the nearly full moon that my gut clenched with want.

"Uhh, Draco, let's go back to the castle." Blaise suggested, standing beside me now. "You still want to see the memory, right? Trust me, I think you should."

She was the first to drop her eyes and look away, which made me hate her all the more. Here I was, drawn to her sight like a fucking moth to a flame, but she was dismissing me like I was one of her love struck admirers. Last year, I would find her staring at me constantly. Wherever I went, she would be there, smiling at me when I'd catch her eye. It seemed like the tables had turned now, though I was nowhere near as pathetic as she had been.

Grinding my jaw in anger and frustration at the redhead, I thrust my hands inside the pockets of my trousers and turned towards Blaise. "Alright, let's go."

As we trekked down the pathway and made our way out of Hogsmeade, my neck itched to look back at Weasley. It was like trying to hold back a reflex action from happening, but I controlled the impulse somehow. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of knowing how much I wanted her attention, how much I _needed_ her.

In the beginning, I had thought it would be so easy to bind her to me. I would only have to smile at her and she would be putty in my hands. But I had been so, _so_ wrong. I hadn't expected her to be so disputing and my Malfoy genes, coupled with my newly acquired animal instincts, responded to her unspoken challenge readily.

So what if she had grown a backbone? Everything could be conquered if you had a strategy and put enough thought on the subject. I had been lax on my part to make her submit to me, but not anymore. A Malfoy always got what he wanted. Stealing the heart of a girl already half in love with me wasn't going to be a chore. I just had to find out her weak spots when it came to me.

Once I did, I would make her completely and utterly _mine_.


	6. Chapter 6

**From DamnDraco**: I know three months is a long time to go without an update, but come on guys! Cut me some slack! I've already mentioned that I've got pre-tests going on for my IGCSE O Levels and it's really hard to find spare time to write. That fact aside, this chapter is almost 19,000 words! Longest that I've ever posted! It was bound to take some time. I hope you like it enough to review!

Special thanks to **ijustsailedaway** for reviewing each and every chapter in such detail! I'm really grateful to you because you helped me overcome this writer's block I had for a while with your kinds words. Thank you!

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><p><span>Sparks Fly<span>

_Dec 6__th_

_[10.05 am]_

**Ginny**

"Miss Weasley, do you have a reason to _defend_ your tardiness?"

"Uh, nothing that will stop you from deducting points, Professor." I said sheepishly, striding inside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

"Very well, then." Professor Baskerville said good naturedly as he climb down the steps from the podium. "Five points from Gryffindor. Don't make this a habit, Miss Weasley."

"Yes, Professor." I mumbled, walking towards my housemates.

As I made my way towards the other side of the room where the Gryffindors stood, I caught Astoria Greengrass' eye. She gave me a nasty look, to which I merely lifted a mocking brow, not even bothering to stop my movements. It seemed to rile her up even more because she looked like steam would start blowing from her nose any moment. I snickered at her obvious distress before turning my head and greeting my fellow housemates with a smile.

"Hell-o, Demelza." I grinned at the black girl as I dumped my bag on one of the desks.

She smirked back, saying, "Good to see you're _finally _up. I was starting to think you would miss the class."

"And I would've!" I exclaimed, nodding at Colin who stood nearby, chatting with Romilda. "If it hadn't been for Hermione, that is. Apparently, the 7th years have their first period off and she wandered inside our dorm to _check up_ on me."

Demelza chuckled. "It's like, she is the mother hen and you're her duckling."

"_So not _funny." I slapped her arm playfully and was about to retort when Professor Baskerville started speaking.

"As our previous class had been more about verbal sparring than learning how to stun," he said sarcastically, giving each of us a stern look, "we'll continue from where we had stopped."

"Once again, I request all of you to partner up with someone from the other House so that we may start the lesson." Baskerville looked back and forth between the Gryffindors and Slytherins as we deliberately ignored each other's presence. When no one made a move to bridge the distance between the two groups, Baskerville sighed. "You leave me with no other choice than to pair you all up myself."

At that statement, my head snapped up, first towards the Professor, and then at the group of Slytherins to my left. The thought of having Bole or Greengrass as a partner was not a pleasing one. Though they didn't scare me in the least, I really didn't want to have to endure their company for the rest of the year. Even if I ended up with someone else, there was no telling what I'd do to them if they pissed me off and that was bound to happen since all 6th year Slytherins rubbed me the wrong way.

All, except one.

I stared at the white-blonde boy who stood at the back of the group, head bowed slightly with a blank expression on his face, as if he didn't care what was going on around him. Maybe he felt my gaze on him because seconds later, he was staring back at me from across the room. Without breaking the eye contact, I spoke in a raised voice.

"Professor, I'll partner up with Denali."

The entire classroom grew silent. All eyes shifted from me to Denali and I could see the confused expressions of my housemates mirrored on the Slytherins. Denali didn't look stoic anymore. In fact, he was staring at me like he was seeing me for the first time, eyes drawn together in…shock? Was he that surprised by my words? Surely he should've been expecting it?

"Ah, if only your friends endeavored to follow your example, Miss Weasley." Though Professor Baskerville's voice held tinges of sarcasm, I could tell that he was pleased with my action. "The rest of you, please stand next to your partner for your upcoming Potions assignment. And yes," he added with a satisfied grin, "I've decided to take a leaf out of Professor Snape's book."

Technically, I would've been partnered with Denali anyway, but what was done was done and I didn't regret it, even though I was getting suspicious looks from my housemates. Denali, on the other hand, was being subjected to hateful glares from _his_ housemates but he seemed completely oblivious to them, his eyes still trained on me. Or maybe he just didn't care.

"What're you all waiting for? Class ends in forty minutes and you have to stun your partner seven times in that duration _or_ write a 15 inch essay on origin of the stunning spell and it's metamorphosis in the last three centuries." shouted Baskerville from the top of the podium, grinning when he heard a collective groan resound across the classroom.

I heard Ritchie Coote mumble, "I think I'd rather work on the essay." as he walked passed me towards his partner, who wore an equally sullen expression.

Denali started to walk forward at the same time that I did and we ended up meeting each other in the center of the room. As I stared up at him, I noticed that the shock had been replaced by curiosity in those amethyst orbs. When he raised an eyebrow at me, as if asking for an explanation, I shrugged.

"What, you're the most tolerable of the bunch." I said, taking my wand out from the pocket of my robes.

The corners of his mouth twitched slightly so I knew he didn't take any offense at my explanation. He mirrored my actions but took his robe off as well and said, "I guess I should feel flattered?"

"You really should." I replied with a smirk, even though I knew his question had been rhetorical.

"Remember, the counter spell is _Enervate_ and you _must_ use it to revive your partner when he or she is stunned, or else I'll deduct points." said Baskerville in a stern voice. "And if I find anyone trying to cast a curse or a jinx, it's safe to say that point deduction will be the least of your worries."

Considering the hate which flowed between the two main rivaling Houses of Hogwarts, I didn't think Professor Baskerville would be surprised if he had to send some students off to the Hospital Wing and some to the Headmaster's Office at the end of the class. The tension in the room was palpable, and I could see caution and distrust etched on everyone's face. Just to clear the air, I looked at Denali straight in the eye and said pleasantly, "If you try to do _anything _other than stun me, I swear you won't live to see another day."

Denali quirked an eyebrow in amusement and nodded. "Likewise, Weasley."

"Take your positions." instructed Professor Baskerville. "You'll start dueling on the count of three."

I clutched my wand firmly and took up the dueling stance. Denali did the same, except his limbs were relaxed and not tense like mine. It made me wonder if he was better than me at Defense, just like he was way better than me at Potions. I tried not to let that thought worry or distract me. While I admitted that my Potions skills were horrible, I was damn good at DADA, probably the best in my year from Gryffindor. I couldn't let petty insecurities get to me.

"Three…" Baskerville started the countdown.

Denali wore a neutral expression, which made it difficult for me to gauge what he was thinking. When he realizing I was sizing him up, he smirked and tilted his head.

"Two…"

So he didn't think I was a formidable opponent? Hah. I'd show him. The worst mistake one could make in a duel was to underestimate his opponent, especially if the opponent knew how to take advantage of the lack of acknowledgement. Considering I lived in a household of six older brothers who never passed on the chance of teasing me, Denali was in for some ass-busting.

"One!"

"_Stupefy!_"

The classroom rang with a deafening noise as numerous voices cried out the incantation, but I was too occupied to look around. A jet of red burst from our wands at the same time, sparking and crackling when they clashed together. I held on to my wand to keep the spell alive even as the force of the clash tried to push me back. This went on for a couple of moments as both of us refused to be the one to back down first. Just when I started to think the connection would last longer, Denali twisted his wand in a movement as quick as lightning and cried out, "_Protego!_"

The silvery bluish shield around Denali deflected my spell but I still smirked widely. He had been the one to conjure the protection charm first, which not only boosted my confidence regarding my wand-work but also gave me the upper hand. As the shield dissipated, I thought I'd see a surprised look on Denali's face at my superior Defense skills, but I was shocked to see him smirking as well.

"Why do _you_ look so pleased?" I asked in an incredulous manner. "I believe I'm the one who won this round."

"I'm pleased to have finally found a worthy opponent." he said simply, not bothering to explain further. And he didn't even need to. As I looked around the classroom, it became clear what he had meant.

Most of the Slytherins were lying on the floor with a dazed expression, and from the smug look on the faces of their partners, it was obvious that they hadn't conjured a shield in time to stop the stunning spell from hitting them.

"Miss Robins, if you don't revive Mr. Bole _right now_, I will take 10 points from Gryffindor." bellowed Baskerville from the top of the podium.

I couldn't help but smirk when I saw Demelza snarl at Bole before casting the counter spell on him. He scrambled upright and scowled, clearly displeased with the way things had turned out. Looking back at Denali, I grinned. "Totally get what you mean."

Denali nodded his head once, a hint of a smirk still playing at the corner of his mouth. Suddenly, his eyes took on a challenging glint and with a swift movement of his hand, a streak of red shot from the tip of his wand.

Taken completely off guard, I wasn't fast enough to cast a protection spell, but my athletic reflexes took over and I found myself ducking sideways, the red sparks missing my shoulder by mere inches. Shocked, I looked at Denali's to see him sporting a self-satisfied grin.

Did he just take advantage of my distraction? What a cheating, _Slytherin _prick!

"Nicely dodged, Miss Weasley." I heard Baskerville comment and looked up. "But the point of this class is to practice the stunning and the protection spell _together_. So it will be considered a direct hit even though you weren't stunned and thus, a point for Mr. Denali."

I gaped at Professor Baskerville before turning back to my _partner_ with narrowed eyes. Tugging forcefully at the sleeves of my robe, I took it off and flung it sideways, not caring where it landed. I rolled up the sleeves of my shirt until they reached my elbows and bared my teeth at Denali. If I hadn't been glowering at his face so fiercely, I would've missed the slight twitched in his mouth at my antics.

With a feral smile, I said, "It's _on_." and lashed out with my wand.

He raised his wand to block the spell but it hit him square in his chest, knocking him a couple of steps backwards. I smirked at the disoriented look on his face, walking forward with light steps to revive him.

"Looks like its 1-1, Denali." I informed him uselessly, grinning as the counter spell engulfed his body and he shook his head to get rid of the effects of the stun.

Still facing him, I walked backwards to my original position, wand still drawn in case he decided to start dueling straightaway. Though all he did was give me an impressed quirk of an eyebrow, I kept my guard up.

"Rules." I said, raising my free hand so that the palm faced him in a halting manner. "No spell casting until both of us are in position after reviving the other."

Denali gave a curt nod before a smirking. "Which would mean our breather is up."

It irked me that once again, he was the first to cast the spell. Wasn't I on the quest to prove to myself that I was better than this…mysterious Slytherin? But it didn't matter because as soon as I saw his wand move, I yelled, "_Protego!_"

I was glad Harry had been relentless in his determination to make all of us master Protego back when the DA was active, because Denali's stunning spell was surprisingly strong. So strong, in fact, that I had to clench my teeth against the force of the red sparks banging against the wall of the silvery bluish shield which cocooned me.

His spell successfully deflected, I whirled my wand and shot the red stream of light at him. When he conjured a shield once again, I admitted-though rather frustratedly-that he was a very competent opponent. Though his Defense skills were nothing like Harry, he was definitely one of the best I've sparred magically with, and I could tell he would be fantastic at dueling.

Denali probably understood that my concentration was slightly scattered for a moment, and _boy_, did he take full advantage of that or what. When the stunning spell hit me, I was, well, _stunned_. Practices aside, I had hurled the spell at people many times, but had only been at the receiving end of it once, back when Harry had introduced the spell in the DA sessions.

My eyes blinked rapidly and involuntarily as a sluggish sort of disorientation took over me. Gaze slightly unfocused, I could hazily see Denali's form coming closer till he stood right in front of me, but I couldn't have raised a finger at him even if I had tried. It felt like my limbs wouldn't listen to the impulses sent by my brain, like my nervous pathways were in a state of disorder.

Denali muttered something, holding the tip of his wand inches above my head, and the stupefied feeling evaporated from my body immediately. Shaking my head, I flexed my fingers. Thankfully, the numbness had disappeared and my muscles were fully functional again. I looked up at my partner to find him staring at me with crinkled eyes and sporting a tiny smirk.

"You look a bit off, Weasley." He remarked, his tone bland, but somehow still patronizing me. "Sure you still up for another round?"

"I'm fine." I snapped, prodding the center of his chest with my wand so that he was forced to step back. "And I'm up for more than a couple of rounds. Are _you_?"

He arched a white-blonde eyebrow, not bothering to retort to my taunt, and he simply stated, "2-1." before he walked back to his original position.

The pseudo-dueling resumed, our stances shifting back and forth between attack and defense as time flew just like the red jets of light from the tip of our wands. Though I got stunned by him once again, much to my satisfaction, I hit him three times consecutively after that, tipping the scales on my side so that it was 4-3 now.

It wasn't like Denali was slacking off. The third time I was able to stun him only because _he_ had looked distracted. I had the strange suspicion that he had been checking my legs out, but that would be completely absurd. The guy gave me the impression of being rather…frigid. Either way, I was glad he had lost his concentration momentarily as it worked to my advantage.

My smugness was short lived though. A weird glint entered Denali's eyes, like he was changing his perspective on the duel. I got the feeling that things were about to get interesting now, and it did.

I directed the stunning spell at him once again, but he seemed to have anticipated my move. Mesmerized, I watched his wand slash across the air in a zigzagging motion, briefly confused at the new tactic. My eyes widened in utter surprise when _he_ threw the familiar scarlet jet at me, instead of shielding himself. Expecting a clash like the one in our first attempt, I was completely taken aback when his spell overpowered mine and sent me crashing onto the floor.

The customary feeling of disorientation returned, only this time the impact was so brute I felt like someone had punched the breath out of my lungs. Vaguely, I registered Denali scrambling towards me and crouching down so that our faces were in level. He positioned his wand in front of my chest and muttered the counter spell hastily.

As soon as I regained my bearing, I sputtered out, "Shit, Denali. What_ was_ that?"

"I-"

"Fantastic counter attack, Mr. Denali! Simply fantastic!" Professor Baskerville's voice boomed from the center of the classroom. "That's 10 points for Slytherin, by the way." Did the guy overlook anything that happened within the walls of his classroom?

Denali didn't say anything, just stood up and offered me a hand, which I grudgingly took, still a bit dumbfounded at his sudden show of skills. His grip on my hand was firm as he pulled me up from the floor. Now upright, I tried to read his face because he looked like he was contemplating something.

"Weasley, are you…alright?" he asked, his voice almost tentative, like he thought I would take his concern as a mock.

I didn't. I was getting used to him acting out of character for a Slytherin by now, so the measure of surprise I _did_ feel at his concern was somewhat less than it originally would've been.

"_Please_, Denali. Don't insult me." I said, smirking to let him know I was only teasing. "You've shown me your tricks. It's only fair that I show you mine now, right?"

He smile faintly and gave me a nod, which I knew by now was his favorite way of acknowledging what someone said.

We were tied now, both of us having scored 4 points. I could feel an ache start to build in my arms, but I steadfastly ignored it. This was not the time to let such trivial matters get in the way. I was going to win this duel and let the whole class know that Ginny Weasley was the bomb.

With that absurd thought in mind, I cried out, "_Stupefy!_"

It seemed to me that Denali was as determined as I was to prove his worth, slashing out with his wand to shield himself as best as he could. I had a feeling he was trying to impress me, or why else would he be working so hard? He didn't strike me as someone who cared what the teachers or his classmates thought about his abilities.

There were too many mind boggling layers to him and if I tried to figure them out right now, I was going to lose my head _and_ the duel. We couldn't have that now, could we?

My chest heaved in exhaustion as our movement grew fervent and impatient. Denali really was making me give my best effort and though it frustrated the hell out of me-because let's face it, the duel was taking its toll on my body-I couldn't help but admire him for being such a good competitor. But when he stunned me once again, the appreciation was replaced by the need to plunder him to the ground.

The aggression must have shown on my face when I thrust myself up from the floor with more force than necessary, because for a fraction of a second, I thought I saw Denali gulp. Even if it had been a trick of my mind, I felt renewed confidence surge through me. The next point was going to be mine.

Sure enough, when the jet of red shot from my wand, Denali tried in vain to block it but failed. The spell hit him on his abdomen, causing him to stumble back. I felt annoyed over the fact that he had knocked me down flat on my ass so many times yet I hadn't even managed to make him trip yet. As I uttered the counter spell and let him gather his bearings, I realized I had to rectify the situation if I wanted to gain the upper hand.

"You look like you could use a break." Denali suddenly said, just as I was about to turn around and go back to my standing place.

Slowly, almost dramatically, I faced him again. With my hands on my hips, I gave him the steeliest glare I could muster. "Denali, are calling me _weak_?"

Though he denied it, I could see his eyes crinkled in something akin to…pity? _What-the-fuck_?

Was he trying to goad me into distraction? Was it a ploy to make me so furious that I messed up and lost the duel? Whatever the reason, he crossed the line by insinuating that I wasn't strong enough for another round.

And now he was going to pay.

"You really shouldn't have said that." I informed him with a cold smile, before taking my position.

I had no idea what his move would be, but judging by the slight flickers of indecision in his eyes, he wasn't sure whether I would make the first move either. I hoped he took my lack of motion as a resignation and struck first, because if he did, I was going to dish out some serious ass busting.

His arm started to move upwards, rising, rising, till it was pointed right at my chest. The movement probably took less than a second but it was as if everything was moving in slow motion. I steeled myself, clutching my wand with all my strength and focused on the spell I was going to cast. Even before I uttered the incantation, I could feel its power building in me, hard and fast, occupying every cell till it threatened to burst from my body.

"_Protego!_"

Denali's stunning spell must have been quite powerful, but it was no match for my shield. The bluish haze engulfed me from head to toe, creating an almost palpable wall in front of me. When the spell hit the shield, I skidded back from the force of the impact but held my ground. Through squinted eyes, I could see sparks of red crackling and flying as they hit the bluish mist.

Suddenly, my wand started to shake. I felt the shield move forward, increasing in area, pushing back against the red jets of light until, with a bang, the bluish shade of the protection spell turned into a blinding flash of white.

Stumbling, I lost my balance and my wand cluttered to the floor. Smoke surrounded the air where the two spells had clashed, wispy and coiling, almost surreal. As the smoke started to dissipate, I saw Denali's form lying on the ground-his back to the floor-at least 5 feet away from where he had originally stood.

Alarmed at his lack of movement, I ran towards him and flopped down beside his head. His chest was rising and falling with heavy, drawn out breaths, but he seemed to be unconscious. Without wasting time, I pointed my wand at his heart and cried softly, "_Enervate_."

His breaths evened but he still remained unconscious. Utterly clueless, I looked around wildly to see everyone in the classroom was staring at me, the Gryffindors in confusion or awe and the Slytherins in horror and disgust. It seemed that they had all stopped dueling to watch the spectacle unfold.

"Scoot over, Miss Weasley." I looked up to see Professor Baskerville walking swiftly towards us, his cloak swishing softly against the balls of his ankles.

"Professor, I didn't mean to-I don't know how-"

"I understand." His voice was surprisingly benign. "I've always known you were a powerful witch, someone who would be able to channel their inner magic into their wand. So I'm not surprised _this_ happened. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

Confused, but still panicking over Denali's condition, I stared up at the Professor imploringly. "But Professor, he is-"

"Mr. Denali is fine, just knocked out." said Professor Baskerville dismissively, waving his wand in the air. Denali's body raised a couple of inches from the floor and swayed lightly in the air. "Nothing Madame Pomfrey can't fix. Give him a mix of headache potions and a couple of hours of sleep, and he'll get back to optimum health."

Nodding, I finally stood up and walked towards where the Gryffindors had gathered around. Their beaming faces disgusted me and left me feeling utterly wretched. Ritchie Coote actually gave me a salute. They thought I deserved respect for knocking out a Slytherin. If it had been any other Slytherin, like Bole or Flint, I would be cheering for myself as well for a job well done.

But it wasn't Bole or Flint. It was Acheron Denali. He was my…friend? Acquaintance? Partner? Whatever he was, I felt awful and guilty for what I had inadvertently done to him. As Demelza handed my bag and cloak over to me with a quizzical face, I realized even she had expected a victorious reaction. But I felt far from triumph.

I stared at Denali's motionless form in midair, trailing behind Baskerville as the Professor took him to the Hospital Wing. He looked so young with his eyes closed; _too_ young. With his white-blonde hair slightly mussed and skin uber-pale from the lack of blood circulation, he looked positively sick. What if Baskerville was wrong and I had somehow managed to injure him?

"Professor, maybe I should come with you?"

Baskerville gave me a wry look. "I assure you, Miss Weasley, Denali is in good hands."

I flushed uncomfortably at what his tone implied, realizing for the first time that my guilt induced concern could be misinterpreted for something else.

"Yes, well, I feel horribly responsible for the situation and thought I should offer to help, at least." I explain with a shrug, trying to act nonchalant. No way did I want my housemates or the Defense Professor to think I felt guilty over the Denali's predicament.

"The _least_ you can do," said Professor Baskerville with a gentle lift of his mouth, "is visit him while he is resting at the Hospital Wing."

Right before he stepped out of the classroom, Professor Baskervilled halted at the threshold. "20 points to Miss Robbins, Mr. Creevey and Mr. Vecchio for successfully stunning their partner 7 times, 20 points to Miss Weasley and Mr. Denali for showing outstanding skills in dueling. And 5 points to Miss Avery for having the decency to use the counter curse on her partner even though it obviously went against her morals." he said flippantly over his shoulder and left, leaving us all looking rather dazed.

Silence reined the classroom for a few moments, each of us lost in our own thoughts. On any other day, I would've been ecstatic at having earned so many points for Gryffindor, but not on this particular day. Not only was my conscience keeping me from appreciating Professor Baskerville's generosity, I didn't even feel like I deserved all those points.

The hoard of students started to move, the Slytherins exiting the classroom first, being closer to the door and all. More than a couple of them sneered at me but I hardly acknowledged their petty looks. I was too caught up trying to sort through the guilt coiling around my heart.

"C'mon, Ginny." Demelza said, wrapping a hand around my arm and steering me towards the door. "You don't want to be late for Transfiguration."

The exertions from the duel had built enough heat in my body to keep it warm for a while, so I slung my cloak over my shoulder and walked beside Demelza as we made our way towards Transfiguration.

Looking at Demelza, I realized that it would've felt the same if I had knocked her out in a duel. I also realized why remorse was gripping my insides. Though I hardly knew Denali, I had started to consider him as more than just my Potions partner. It had been involuntary, but that was how I saw him now. Not as a Slytherin foe, but a friend from another House.

"Are you really going to visit Denali in the Hospital Wing?"

Demelza was looking at my curiously, eyes slightly squinted. It was obvious that she couldn't understand why I felt bad about knocking Denali out. She didn't know about our interaction at Honeydukes; how Denali had helped me carry all those candy boxes, how _friendly_ he had been.

A sudden thought struck my mind, distracting me from her question. "Demelza, _where_ in Hogsmeade were you yesterday?" I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral.

We came back from Hogsmeade at around 8 o clock last night, having spent too much on butterbeer. Not having seen Demelza at Honeydukes or the Three Broomsticks, I had assumed she had gone back to the castle early. Much to my surprise, she was neither in the common room nor in our dorm or anywhere in the Gryffindor Tower. When I finally met her, it was at dinner and apparently, she had been too famished and exhausted to tell me about her day.

Frowning, she looked away from me and stared ahead at the corridor. "What do you mean? I was browsing the shops."

_Browsing the shops? _

Firstly, Demelza wasn't much of a shopper, definitely not someone who was into window shopping. Secondly, playing Quidditch for three straight hours got you tired and hungry. Pouring over Snape's homework all night got you tired and hungry. Browsing shops at Hogsmeade _did not_ get you as tired and hungry as Demelza was last night.

"Demelza, are you-"

"That was quite spectacular, Ginny."

I tried not to let my annoyance show as Colin came up behind us. Smiling tightly, I gave him a short nod and then locked eyes with Demelza, letting her know that the interruption hadn't gotten her off the hook.

"So how did yesterday's trip go?" Colin asked pleasantly, walking in between me and Demelza.

I shrugged and shifted my bag to the other shoulder. "It was good. I bought so many sweets from Honeydukes, almost ransacked the place!"

Colin laughed and we started talking about different flavours of Everlasting Bubblegums until we reached the Transfiguration classroom, where Professor McGonagall started the lesson immediately.

I'm sure Demelza tried her best to hide it, but I could still detect the relief on her features at the change of topic. It occurred to me that it was probably unfair that I was bothered by her lack of trust in me, since I rarely divulged secrets to her. It wasn't even about trust, at least, not from my side. The reason I often kept some details out of the personal conversations we had was because I knew she would judge me. It was almost the same as what I did with Hermione.

To be honest, I knew as much about Demelza as she knew about me, so the scales were balanced. Thus, I probably had no right to know what was going on with her, but that didn't stop the nagging feeling that whatever it was that had her occupied, it wasn't something good.

_[1.15 pm]_

Unexpected Reactions

"Hey guys, I'm going to Hospital Wing now." I said, wrapping two slices of meat loaf in a napkin as I got up from the chair.

Beside me, Ron coughed as he attempted to gulp down whatever food he had been eating so that he could speak before I left. "Ginny, you can't be serious."

Not stopping any movement, I slung my book back over my shoulder and righted my cloak. "What's not to be serious about? It's only polite if I pay Denali a visit. I mean, I landed him in the Hospital Wing in the first place."

"And did quite a job of it, from what I hear." said Harry from the other side of the table, beaming at me in pride. Though it still annoyed me, Harry's satisfaction at my actions was justified since he had been my tutor. He was bound to be proud of my achievements, no matter how unjustified they were.

Lunch had started 15 minutes ago and the Great Hall was full of students chattering and gossiping as they filled their plates with lunch. More than half a dozen people from different Houses were throwing covert glances my way, but I steadfastly ignored them.

Giving Harry a wan smile, I said, "Word sure travels fast."

"Don't I know that." muttered Harry, probably reliving all those moments he had to endure whispers and stares in his life.

"Ginny, you can't-"

"Don't start, Ron" I sliced a hand through the air in a dismissive gesture which promptly shut my brother up. "You might not have a conscience but I sure do. Slytherin or not, the guy still deserves an in-person apology."

Ron opened his mouth to continue the argument but I cut him off and said firmly, "I owe him that much, at least."

"Since when do you owe a _Slytherin_ anything?" he asked, eyes slightly narrowed in suspicion.

I wanted to throw a tantrum on my brother for trying to control my actions and coming to absurd assumptions about them, but then thought better of it. It would only prolong the conversation and frankly, fighting with Ron always left me with a nasty headache so I tended to avoid it as much as possible.

Shaking my head, I ignored his whiny comments as I walked out of the Great Hall. It was bad enough that I felt so guilty for hurting someone who didn't even consider me as a friend without having Ron to pick on me for trying to be altruistic about it. I wasn't even sure whether I would apologize to Denali. Whether I _could_. But I knew it in my heart that paying him a visit at the Hospital Wing was the right thing to do.

A loud, boisterous laugh drew my attention just as I was six or seven steps away from the door. On reflex, my head twisted towards the source of the laugh, which turned out to be the Slytherin table. Blaise Zabini said something and laughed once more, this time getting a deathly glare from his companion. Any other bloke would've cowered if Draco Malfoy gave him so much as a cold stare, let alone a threatening glower.

But not Blaise Zabini. I guess years of friendship made him immune to Malfoy's threats.

As soon as my gaze shifted to the blond, I knew I shouldn't have looked in the direction of the Slytherin table in the first place.

It was in the middle of the day, most of the students having attended four periods of classes already. Slight exhaustion reflected on everyone's faces, but not Malfoy's. In fact, with both of his fists clenched and lying on the table, eye narrowed and the skin over his cheek bones stretched taut, he looked ready for battle.

And he looked sexy. _Dear God_, did he look sexy.

My eyes glazed over as it roamed over his form when he stood up. Was it just me or did he actually look taller and _rugged_ today? After a whole year of constantly checking him out, I had a fair idea of his physique, which was lean and toned, but not muscular. Right now though, his shirt was practically sticking to his chest and biceps. I would even go as far as to say he had a wild sort of aura surrounding him.

He looked so freaking gorgeous I felt my heart race as I continued staring at him, unable to steer my eyes away. Could I get anymore pathetic?

Something was just not right, though. To any other person, he would've looked the same, but I wasn't any other person. I knew his facial expressions and body movements like I knew the back of my hand, thanks to the 356 days I spent cataloging his daily activities. When he was with his housemates, his range of expressions shifted from amused to sarcastic to teasing, then back to sarcastic. With teachers, his face remained neutral because obviously, it went against being Draco Malfoy to be polite to anyone, even if they were twice his age.

As he swung his bag over his shoulder, I noticed his generally lithe movements were rigid and stiff. He looked like he was pissed at Zabini, but since it didn't seem to bother his friend, the issue was probably not serious. Nothing ever fazed Malfoy; he was always his cool and collected self no matter what. So what could possibly be so troubling that it made him put his guard down?

Something was _definitely_ not right.

Realizing I was gazing at him like a complete ninny, I was about to turn my head when his head snapped forward and our eyes clashed. My body tightened and the breath whooshed out of my lungs as red hot energy zinged through every nerve ending. There was something in his mercury gaze that held me immobilized, right there in the middle of the Great Hall. It had never happened before, and I had no idea why it was happening now.

His usually mocking or sarcastic gaze was now filled with something else; something raw and uninhibited that sent my already racing heart into overdrive. Draco Malfoy had _never_ looked at me this way. Hell, he hadn't looked my way at all until recently, for reasons I couldn't fathom. A year ago, it would've made me ecstatic if he had so much as locked eyes with me. But now, I wasn't so sure.

Because Malfoy's demeanor wasn't friendly or inviting as our eyes stayed locked on each other. He wasn't looking at me like he was interested in me. He wasn't looking at me like a boy looks at a girl he wants to impress.

Draco Malfoy was looking at me like he wanted to _eat me alive_.

"Weasley, if you weren't so busy gawking at Malfoy, you would've noticed by now that you're blocking my way."

The scathing remark brought me out of the trance I was in, effectively breaking the sizzling eye contact which had started to burn me from the inside out. Annoyance flashed through me when I turned and saw the smirking face of Theodore Nott.

"Nott, if a single cell in your brain worked, you could've easily known to bypass me instead of standing here looking like an idiot." I sneered and stomped past him before he could utter another word.

What was it with these Slytherins riling me up all the time?

Heart still thundering, I walked in the direction of the Hospital Wing. Though Nott's comment had beyond irritated me, I was still grateful for his interference. Merlin knows I would've been unable to look away from Malfoy if he hadn't made that brainless comment. It was as if Malfoy held invisible chains to my eyes and I wouldn't have cared if the ceiling fell on top of me; I would've still kept staring his way. The thought was immensely disturbing, but not more that the sudden discovery I made.

I was wet between my thighs.

Heat suffused all over my cheeks as I felt the slippery sensation every time my thighs brushed against each other. Unable to keep walking, I stopped just outside the door to the Hospital Wing and pressed my forehead against the nearest wall. Letting the cool cement soothe my flushed face, I groaned in embarrassment.

There had been countless nights in the past year when I had lain awake in my four poster bed, thinking about what it would feel like to have Draco Malfoy look at me with lust filled eyes. Though it mortified me now to think of all the times I had spent fantasizing and have dirty thoughts about him, it had felt natural back then. Ofcourse, imagining him doing wicked things to my body was bound to get my core wet with arousal. So this reaction wasn't something that should've bothered me considering it wasn't the first time it had happened.

But not only did it bother me, it humiliated me as well because Malfoy had managed to turn me on by doing absolutely _nothing_.

There had been no lust in his eyes, no emotion to give me a sign that he wanted me. In fact, he had looked angry and dangerous, as if I had done something to piss him off. I hadn't even gone near him since the Hogsmeade trip, so it should've pissed _me_ off that he was looking at me in such a way.

Instead, I was , I needed to get my head examined the next time I visited St. Mungo's.

"Weasley?"

At the sound of my name, I whirled around so quickly the hem of my robe swished around my ankles and I nearly tripped on them. Placing a hand on the wall, I steadied myself before looking at the boy who now stood at the threshold of the Hospital Wing, staring at me quizzically.

"Uh, hi."

I mentally kicked myself for saying something so lame, that too in a squeaky voice which was totally unlike me. No wonder Denali was looking at me like horns had sprouted from the top of my head or I was wearing one of Luna's vegetable necklaces.

As he kept looking at me, his eyes crinkled in a questioning manner, I wondered if he could tell how hot and bothered I felt. Could my flushed face give it away? Was I squirming too much? If I kept uttering half-witted things like I just had he would definitely get that something was flustering me. And the last thing I wanted was for Acheron Denali to assume that I was nervous about talking to him.

Raising my hand, I showed him the napkin-covered meat loaves I had been holding all along. "I thought I'd stop by with some lunch cause I figured, you know, you'll miss it because Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let you leave till you, um, recovered fully from the, you know…"

Merlin's beard, was I actually _rambling_? That too, in front of Denali? And all because Draco Malfoy had given me a heated look from across the Hall?

I felt like banging my head against a wall. _Damn you, Malfoy._

"But of course, since she let you out, you're…fine now?" I had meant for it to be a statement but somehow it came out as a question.

My gaze roved over him in inspection, looking for any signs of weakness. His hair was a bit mussed and a few creases had appeared on his shirt but other than that, he looked the same as he had before the duel; all pale and waifish. With his trademark nod, Denali let me know that he was alright and healthy enough to be up and walking.

As remnant of the morning's class flashed across my mind, I realized that this was the right moment to apologize to him for knocking him senseless. If only I could get the words out…

"Are you headed towards the Great Hall?" I opted to ask instead. The words 'I'm sorry' were still lodged in my throat and I just wasn't ready to say them yet.

"No, the library."

He eyed the mini lunch in my hand and for a second, I saw something flash in those amethyst orbs. Since I couldn't place what it was, I hurriedly started to explain, despite the fact that there was no need for it. "You missed lunch because of me, so it's only fair that I should bring something for you. I mean, you have to be famished by now."

When he still didn't look up, I couldn't help but add sarcastically, "Don't worry, I've only added about, let's see, a gallon of the Drought of Living Death to the food. You won't even realize you're dying until you're actually dead."

With the amused quirk of his lips that I was getting familiar with, he finally looked up. "Thanks for the warning, Weasley."

Feeling a bit of the tension seep away from my limbs at his lighthearted reply, I grinned and took a step towards him. "Since you're back on your own two feet, we better get started on Snape's assignment."

He raised his eyebrows, as if he found my comment unexpected. We were supposed to work on the blasted assignment after lunch anyway, so I couldn't comprehend why he seemed so surprised. For a second, I thought he was going to say something, but it was just for a second.

Pulling his bag further up his shoulder, he remained his silent self and turned halfway in the direction of the library, waiting for me to walk forward until I was standing beside him. At his show of politeness, my teasing nature took over. "Are you always such a gentleman, Denali, or is it because I brought food to fill up your stomach? Merlin knows you boys would do anything for someone who feeds you."

He looked at me with a curious tilt of his lips, but didn't say anything for a while. If it had been anyone else, I would've started to feel awkward at the lack of response, but I was getting sort of used to it from Denali. So it utterly surprised me when I heard him reply.

"It's both." He was staring straight ahead but there was a hint of a smile playing at his lips.

We walked towards the library in a companionable silence. Usually, I would keep prattling on about something random or useless just to keep a conversation flowing, but for once, I was glad for some quiet time. I needed to gather my thoughts if I wanted to keep a straight head while we worked on the Potions assignment. Thinking about a certain platinum blond Slytherin would do me no good.

With the exception of Madam Pince, the library was completely empty when we entered; most of the students being either in the Great Hall or at their respective dorms. I started to walk towards the table I normally sat at with Hermione or Demelza, but then stopped when a thought struck me.

Turning towards my Slytherin partner, I asked, "Where do you want to sit?"

If he was surprised at the question, he didn't let it show. Instead, he motioned with his head to follow him and led me way back into a secluded corner of the library.

"I didn't even know this place has a table." I said absently, looking around the small space surrounded by shelves.

At first glance, the space looked cramped; the wooden table and two narrow chairs barely leaving any room for stretching. But once I dropped my bag on the floor and sat down, I realized it was much more comfortable sitting here than at the front of the library. Privacy aside, it was also comparatively warmer.

"This is where I usually study." said Denali, shrugging out of his robe before he took a seat facing me.

As he moved, I took in his physique. He was probably an inch taller than Ron, but nowhere near as heavily built. In fact, he was leaner than Malfoy; his shirt almost hanging from his shoulders and the muscles on his arms hardly bulging. If he weighed any less, he'd be bordering on skinny and driving my mum wild with the need to fatten him up.

But there was just something about his appearance all together which made him look quite refined, even with the white-blonde hair and purple eyes. I guessed it was a Slytherin thing.

When he met my gaze with those strange but beautiful eyes, I couldn't deny that Denali had an appeal. But then why wasn't he affecting me in any way? Why was Draco Malfoy the only boy who could turn my body into a tingling mess with just a look?

_Not going to let that git distract you, remember?_ I mentally chided myself.

"I'm assuming you have the questionnaire with you because if you don't, one of us has to go all the way back to the dorm to retrieve it." I clasped my hands on my lap and leaned back on the chair, smirking at him. "And since we've established that you're a gentleman, it'll probably be you."

Denali arched an eyebrow before rummaging in his bag and taking out the aforementioned piece of parchment.

"Alright, then." I put my interlocked hands on the table and straightened my back. "Where do we start from?"

"Actually," he started, but hesitated for a moment before continuing to speak, "I've finished solving about half of the questions."

Stunned, I stared at him while he examined the questionnaire.

Firstly, I knew both Orla and Demelza weren't able to proceed after the third question, the assignment was that hard. Denali had to be some sort of a genius to have solved half the questions in such a short time. Secondly, why hadn't he waited for me? I wasn't very good at Potions, but that didn't mean I couldn't be of any help. Did he have that little faith in me?

It was safe to say that I felt very insulted and didn't even bother to hide it.

"Why?" I couldn't help but sneer. "Because you thought I'd be of no assistance at all? Or were you afraid I'd only waste your time?"

He looked at me for quite a while, taking so long to reply that I almost started squirming under his gaze. It felt like he was trying to read me, so I changed my expression into a blank mask. I had already shown too much emotion around him, given him too much leeway just because he was…different.

What he did say in the end further cemented the notion that he _was_ different, because he had me flabbergasted.

"I was simply bored."

He shrugged and went back to surveying the questionnaire while I openly gaped at him.

"Oh Lord, you're another Hermione in the making!" I finally exclaimed, fighting to keep the incredulity out of my voice.

When he looked at me strangely, I explained, "Solving schoolwork-that too, Snape's assignment!-just because you were _bored_? The only other person who would do that is our Head Girl!"

He scrunched his nose and gave me an odd look, like he couldn't figure out whether I was serious or making fun of him. It hit me then - no matter how unusual he was for a Slytherin, he still _was_ one. Comparing him to a renowned 'mudblood' was surely crossing the line, even for him.

Denali smirked suddenly, halting the stone-cold fury which had started to build up in me at the thought of him degrading Hermione.

"The Head Girl _enjoys_ studying. I enjoy staying ahead of schedule." His smirk widened as he tilted his head slightly. "There is a difference."

Woah. So he held no prejudice against half-bloods and muggle-borns? _Woah._

Who was this guy?

And was it possible that the infamous Sorting Hat had finally made a wrong judgment? Shouldn't someone notify Dumbledore of this phenomenon?

When Denali got up with the questionnaire still in his hand, the movement startled me out of my reverie.

"Where are you going?"

"To get the reference books."

He was already on his way towards the Potions section, and this time, I didn't mind that he hadn't asked for my assistance in any way. I just stretched my legs as far as they could go under the small table and got comfortable.

Denali returned with a two voluminous books bound in reddish black leather and set them down on the table. Just the look of the thickness and dull covers of the books made me groan out loud.

"I _really_ don't like Potions." I explained when Denali raised an eyebrow questioningly at the sound I made.

Smirking lightly, he gave me a small nod and got down to business. "Question number four says that the draught has taken a forest green color after completion of all the steps."

"Maybe Snape puked in it." I remarked dryly, grinning when I saw Denali's lips twitch in amusement.

"I doubt Professor Snape would take that assessment kindly."

I snorted and shook my head, imagining Snape's face if he found out what I thought was the answer to question number four. It was not a pretty sight.

"There could be, like, a million possibilities as to why the potion turned forest green." I said, getting back on topic.

"Saying 'a million possibilities' is stretching it too far."

I huffed and crossed my arms, choosing to ignore his comment and scowling at him instead. "And what's 'forest' green supposed to mean, anyway? I get light green, dark green; even neon green makes sense. But what the hell is _forest_ green?"

Potions always brought out the worst in me. I mean, we were yet to start working and I was already getting impatient and cranky. Denali must've thought the same if the wry look he gave me was any indication.

"Alright, alright." I raised my hands up in front of me in a show of defeat and sighed, knowing I was just stalling the inevitable. "Where do we start researching from?"

Opening one of the books to its index, he pushed it towards me and tapped on the chapter titled 'Magical Plants and their Properties'.

"Mark down all the plants whose juices turn green in solution." he instructed.

Taking out my quill, inkpot and some parchment from my bag, I started to do what I was told without any question. This easy compliancy seemed to surprise Denali, for he smirked softly and said, "Do you trust me now, Weasley?"

"As much as you trust _me_." I smirked back.

He obviously knew what he was doing, and if it got the work done, why should I waste time being inquisitive? Besides, Denali hadn't given me a reason to doubt his intentions. Not yet.

After that, the companionable silence from the walk to the library engulfed us as we got down to work. Meticulously surveying each and every page, I jotted down the names of different herbs, leaves and flowers which turned shades of green in a draught. It didn't take me that long to get them all, but once I was done, I looked at the list and groaned once again.

"There's too many of them!" I exclaimed, causing Denali to stop scribbling on what seemed like a notebook.

He ruffled a couple of pages on his notebook until he came to the one he was looking for, then pulled my parchment towards him with a finger. Placing it beside the notebook, he surveyed both of them in an analytical manner; his eyeballs rolling from side to side.

I waited for him to say something, but the seconds ticked by as he made no sound at all. Huffing, I finally said, "If your eyeballs keep moving like that, you'll soon get cross-eyed."

A twitch of his lips later, he turned the notebook towards me. On it, he had jotted down all the ingredients used in making the Draught of Living Death along with their properties and the types of reaction they underwent. I couldn't understand why he was comparing these to the list of plants I made until I saw a property of wormwood.

Plants needed to be in a dry or powdered state when mixed with wormwood, but most of the ones on the list would lose their properties in that state. This definitely narrowed the possibilities and made things easier.

"Which ones are we left with?" I asked, knowing Denali would get what I meant.

"Lovage, bobotuber, fluxweed, belladonna and hellebore."

Copying their properties on another parchment, I started to cross-reference them with the properties of the ingredients on the notebook, finally getting the hang of the research procedure Denali had taken.

"Lovage and hellebore can't be the ones used because their colours are taken over by the sopophorous beans." I came to the conclusion, chewing on my lips slightly. "But the remaining three plants are all fairly possible."

Denali remained silent, surveying both his notebook and the properties of fluxweed, belladonna and bobobtuber. Since I had no clue how to proceed from here, I left it upto him to figure out the answer while I examined my cuticles.

"It's belladonna."

I looked up to see him scribble the answer in his notebook.

"What makes you so sure?" I asked, just for clarification. I didn't have complete faith in him yet. "I mean, all of them turn green in solution."

"Fluxweed turns dark green and while both bobotuber and belladonna turn the desired shade, the former is soon decolorized." Denali explained in a neutral tone. "So the answer is belladonna."

"Fair enough." I nodded, and then scrunched my nose. "But if this is how we have to work out the next questions-comparing and cross-referencing every little detail-I'll need a constant supply of tea to keep me from falling asleep."

"It's not that hard." Denali shrugged, as if I was making a big deal out of nothing.

"Of course it isn't…for _you_." I rolled my eyes and smirked. "You're a nerd."

I was expecting another twitch of his lips followed by a quirk of a white-blonde eyebrow, so imagine my surprise when he actually leaned closer and said, in an almost flirty tone, "Admit it, Weasley. You're glad you got this nerd as your partner."

Openmouthed, I stared at him with wide eyes.

If it had been any other guy, I would've flirted back. But this wasn't any other guy. Hell, this was Acheron Denali and knowing him, he probably wasn't even aware that what he had just said could be considering flirting.

This was the first time Denali said something personal in nature, but I had no idea how to reply to it. Yes, I was glad to have him as a partner. Merlin knows I would've submitted an empty assignment if it hadn't been for his research skills. But I'd never admit how much I appreciated his help. Though he was unlike any other Slytherin and we had an easy way with each other, we weren't exactly friends. Admitting something like that would grate at my ego.

To cover up my sudden lack of response, I crossed my arms and smirked, scooting forward in my seat. "_You're_ the one who should be glad to have _me_ as a partner, Denali. I might be an amateur in the research area, but I'm still damn awesome company."

Denali's lips curled up at the edges, but it wasn't a complete smile yet. Still, it was enough to let me know he was amused. I grinned at him, rather liking the how smoothly we clicked. Though I had never doubted my ability to get along with people, Slytherins had never been part of the equation.

Of course, it was easy to talk to Denali because_ he_ made it so. If he had been a typical Slytherin, I'd be hexing him to the moon and back by now instead of teasing him in this sequestered part of the library.

Just as the word_ 'sequestered'_ registered on my mind-and I realized how close Denali and I were, with just a couple of inches separating out noses-a voice broke through the silence.

"Now, isn't this just _cozy_."

Denali's head snapped sideways, but I didn't have to look to know who the speaker was.

Goosebumps erupted on my arms and my heart stopped beating for a moment, only to start with renewed vigor. Voice recognition aside, my ridiculous bodily symptoms would've made the identity of the speaker quite obvious. I only ever reacted this way to _one_ boy.

Slowly, almost reluctantly, I looked at him. And dreaded the action immediately.

Malfoy stood with his arms crossed, shoulders leaning against one of the shelves which hid our table from view. Later on, I'd wonder how he knew someone was sitting there, but in that moment, all I could do was take in his features.

Eyes narrowed and lips curled into a menacing sneer, he looked deadly. Angry and deadly and so very _hot_. I wanted to say something, anything to break the tension which suddenly permeated the air around us, but I was at loss for words. I was rendered speechless at the face of the sheer sexuality which exuded from him.

And he wasn't even looking my way this time.

_Fuck_, _what was wrong with me?_

At length, I forced my mouth to work. "What do you want, Malfoy?"

Up until now, he had been staring daggers at Denali, but his gaze shifted towards me as soon as the first syllables escaped my mouth. It was a wonder my voice didn't shake, for Malfoy's gaze was so intense it almost seared my bones.

"Nothing _you_ could give me, Weasley." He based his teeth and almost snarled, looking vicious.

That wasn't something I didn't know, but it still hurt to hear him say that. Then the hurt quickly transformed into anger, because once again, I was letting old feelings and insecurities resurface. My body might react strongly to him, but letting him have a sway over my emotions was just _too much_. No self-respecting girl could allow a boy that much power over her, especially not a boy who had openly resented her and laughed at her expense for so long.

Turning my body so that I sat facing Malfoy, I crossed my arms and legs and sneered back at him. "Yeah? Then why are you still standing here? Contrary to what you think, Malfoy, your company isn't really that pleasing."

His nostrils flared as he straightened, hands clenched into a fist. For one frightful second, I thought he was going to come closer and grab me. My hand was poised to grab my wand, for I knew that if Malfoy decided to do something, I'd be on my own. Denali wouldn't do anything to cross him because Malfoy was so powerful in Slytherin, the only person who held more authority over the House than him was Snape.

Besides, no one would want to mess with him in the state he was in right now; so_ feral_. No one except Ron, of course, but only because my brother hardly knew what was good for him and what not.

Sometime since lunch, he had ditched his robe, baring his arms which were flexed taut. His muscles were bunched with tension and just the sight of them had a slow, whirling heat starting deep in my belly. I had the sudden urge to clutch my stomach and stop the unwanted sensations from spreading through my body.

"Funny, you were quite taken with my company last year."

My eyes widened as he smirked darkly, walking closer. Heart beating erratically, I stood up, wanting to have at least some form of advantage since he had brought up my shameful past. Why did he keep doing that? Was it his morbid way of entertaining himself? Was he a sadist?

"What changed, hmm?" Malfoy stood just a foot away now, looming over me. "Did you finally realize I'm out of your league? That you're only worth mudbloods and bastards?"

It barely registered on my mind that he sneered at Denali while uttering the last word; all I could do was feel the sudden rage consuming every cell in my body. Here I was, getting turned on by the mere sight of him while he was busy insulting me. He _knew_ it was a sore topic-how I used to feel about him-and intentionally brought it up just to prove how little he thought of me.

And it worked. I felt so fucking insignificant and _stupid_ for all the things I did last year-all for him.

Pushing aside the humiliation, I let anger and hate take over me. Two steps and I was right at his face, sneering harder than I ever had. "You think you're so great?"

Fire glittered in his mercury eyes, glowing with an unholy fury. I should've been scared. Hell, I should've just grabbed my bag and run like hell from the library, instead of spatting at him.

"Let me burst the bubble of highhandedness you surround yourself with, Malfoy." I paused and leaned forward, baring my teeth. "You're worse than 'mudbloods and bastards'. In my eyes, you're _scum_."

**Draco**

I didn't know what I wanted to do more – choke her or take her against the nearest shelf.

In normal circumstances, the former would've held more appeal, but this wasn't just another day. No, this was _the day before_.

The urge to grab her by the hair and ravage her insolent mouth was so strong, I ground my teeth to stop from giving in to the need. If it hadn't been for the younger boy's presence, I would be showing Weasley where her place was- trapped underneath my body.

Merlin, I was such a hormonal mess, and all because of this fiery redheaded _harpy_. Every word she said just further fueled the restlessness inside me. It hadn't been this intense before; the need to let lose all the tension coiling my muscles. But then again, I hadn't interacted with her in any way since the term started, not until this month. I had only watched her from afar and tortured myself.

Second-guessing was not in my nature but in that moment, I was starting to regret my decision to pursue her. It was all too much. _She_ was too much.

Even now, her scent permeated the air; stronger and sharper and so fucking tempting, I was on the verge of becoming mindless. The only reason I wasn't jumping her bones was because I had too much self-respect and ego to just lose control like that. That and the fact that she had just called me _scum_.

How dare she? How _dare_ she say that when just moments ago, she had been grinning at Acheron-fucking-Denali like he was her best-fucking-friend? He was the lowest form of filth, yet she called _me_ scum. It would've made me laugh had I not been in such an agitated state.

I couldn't touch her, so the only way I could hurt was with words. Oh how much I wanted to break that steely backbone of hers, to watch it crumble to pieces with a few choice words. But if I opened my mouth, everything I had planned would become futile and useless. I'd lose whatever power I still had on her and that couldn't be allowed to happen.

Exercising iron control on myself, I backed away from her. Her eyes widened in surprise at my lack of response and when she saw me step back, her mouth dropped. She had clearly expected me to throw insults at her face, take an eye for an eye. It was hard not to do so, but I kept my mouth shut, glaring at her menacingly instead.

Those hazel eyes had no right to look so pretty, and thus I hardened my gaze, letting her know how much I detested her. Ofcourse, she had no idea that the hate partly spurred from the fact that I wanted her so fucking much, yet I couldn't have her.

_Yet._

With one last menacing glare at Denali, I turned and stomped away from the dusty little corner they had nested themselves in. Fists clenched, I almost walked back to punch the daylights out of Denali just because he was sharing such an enclosed space with her.

I could deal with the gits of Gryffindor mooning over Weasley, but not Acheron Denali. My hatred for the boy aside, he knew far too much about werewolves. It wouldn't take him that long to put two and two together to figure out my condition if I let any detail slip. Thus, he was a complication I could really do without.

Getting into Ginny Weasley's pants was turning out to be a grueling task. Her hostility towards me was beyond vexing and if she kept spewing shit from her mouth every time she spoke to me, someone would have to place a permanent Silencing Charm on her. Not to mention I'd have to ward off her lunatic brother, Potter and the mudblood from cursing me if they found out I was screwing their precious little princess. And to add to all that, now I'd have to worry about Acheron Denali hitting on her as well.

Was the reward she could give me worth all the effort?

I thought of the night of the last full moon. The memory was a painful one, just like the one before that, and the one before that and so on. Wolfsbane stopped the transformation from taking place, but that wasn't the only effect of the full moon on my body. Adrenaline pumped vigorously through my veins, making me so restless and out of control that my current state of turmoil was tame compared to what I felt on a full moon. My skin itched and I often ended up scratching myself raw with the need to release the tension somehow.

There was nothing I could do but bear the pain; nothing, unless I found sexual release. But I couldn't just screw some random chick and blow off the steam. Oh no, I couldn't, because that would make things too easy. No, I had to do it with one girl, one particular girl who was supposedly my _mate_.

Unfortunately for me, that girl turned out to be Ginny Weasley.

As I passed by rows of bookshelves in search of Blaise, images of Weasley from the memory he had showed to me last night flashed across my eyes.

Though I would never admit it to Blaise, I was so fucking jealous of him. He had seen her pale expanse of flesh, clad in so little, I had moaned just from the sight of her in the hazy memory. Merlin knew what I would've done if I had been there, within touching distance. The way the black and green satin had molded her breasts, enhancing the slight dusting of freckles I had no idea were on her chest, it was no wonder I had ended up sporting a hard on.

Even when she had donned on a coat, it had done nothing to cover her body. In fact, as she had stepped closer to Blaise, eyes shimmering with determination, the lithe movements of her body had enthralled me to the core. I couldn't have stopped heat rushing to my groin, even as I despised her for letting my best friend see what should've been reserved for my eyes only.

Maybe she had been so focused on getting answers from Blaise that she had been unaware of her lack of attire, or maybe she had no problem showing so much skin to random boys. The latter thought brought a snarl to my face, making my hands itch to brand her in some way so that any male who looked at her knew she belonged to me. I wanted to brand her so that _she_ knew she belonged to me.

Oh god, I was losing myself in this whirlwind of animal urges, and it wasn't even night yet. And where the fuck was Blaise?

After searching for him in every aisle, I finally found him at a corner of the Herbology section, flirting with the Ravenclaw chick who hounded Sue Fawcette's every step. She had her back to a shelf, smilling coyly at Blaise, who had one arm placed beside her head, slowly leaning closer to her. The scene made me want to roll my eyes and gag, but I coughed instead.

"Hate to interrupt the almost-snogfest," I said, voice laced with irritation, "but your expertise are needed elsewhere, Blaise."

Blaise pushed way from the girl, who looked royally disappointed, and gave her what he called his "smolder". "Sorry to leave you hanging, darlin', but Draco here will have a kitten if I keep him waiting."

Gnashing my teeth, I turned and walked swiftly out of the library, knowing Blaise was sauntering behind me, winking at random girls here and there. Sometimes-specifically on the days before the full moon-I felt like beating the shit out of Blaise because he was always so fucking _relaxed_. I knew it was the calling of the moon which made me so impatient and just itching for a fight, and that on any other day, I wouldn't care about Blaise's whorish ways. But it still didn't stop me from getting irritated at his lack of concerns.

"Not that I don't love your charming company, Draco." he drawled, catching up with me as I took a turn in the corridor, "but you really need to stop snarling and put on a normal face before people start suspecting that it's not just the stick up your arse that's bothering you."

I growled and gave him a side-long glare as we took another turn in the corridor which led to a flight of steps. "Don't test my patience, Blaise."

"Alright, alright, I'm just trying to lighten the mood." He sighed and fell into step beside me as we descended down the stairs. "Tell me where we're going, at least."

"To the dungeon."

"And what're we doing when we get there?"

"_I_ am going to write a letter to Mother."

We stepped into the Entrance Hall and took a right turn. Both the Hall and the tunnel which led to the dungeons were empty, and I was glad for that. It meant I didn't have to keep my voice down as I said the next few words.

"_You_ are going to research and find out just how sex with Ginny Weasley is going to help me get through the full moon."

_[8.15 pm]_

First Touch

**Ginny**

"Ginny, are you paying attention or not?"

Harry's screams from down below made me react in time to swerve my broom and dodge the Bludger which hurtled past me. I righted myself and looked down sheepishly at Harry, shouting a lame apology. He shook his head, turning towards Demelza to shout at her. Apparently, she wasn't paying attention either.

"C'mon guys, just half an hour of practice time left." Harry flew up and took his post in front of the stands as substitute goalkeeper, filling in for Ron's absence like he had been doing in the past couple of practices. Running a hand through his already messy black hair, he said in a pleading tone, "We'll get only two days to warm up after Christmas break, and then it's time to face Ravenclaw. If we don't utilize _every second_ of the practices, it's going to cost us a lot.

"Chill, Captain." Ritchie Coote flew up next to me, the Beater's club dangling from his hand. "You're acting like Ravenclaw is better than us."

"They're not better, but their team is definitely very strong this time." Harry explained. "You guys saw what a hard time they gave to Slytherin."

"Yes, well, it wouldn't be fun if we didn't have a challenging opponent, now would it?" I said cheekily.

Harry sighed in exasperation, and then nodded his head. "You're right. But it doesn't mean you can just drift off in the middle of practice, Ginny. And that goes for you too, Demelza. I can't have my key Chasers slacking off, not right now."

I looked at Demelza then, but she wasn't look back at me like I had expected. She wasn't even looking at Harry even as he directed his words at her. Her eyes had a faraway look in them and she was chewing on her lips, which she only did when she was tensed. She had been acting strange for quite a while now, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious to know what was up with her.

Wanting to get her attention, I kept looking at her and said, "Sorry, Harry. It won't happen again, will it, Demelza?"

"Huh?" Demelza looked at Harry, then me, and then back at Harry. "Oh, oh yeah. It won't."

I could tell that she was still distracted, and as we flew to our positions, I sidled next to her and asked, "Hey, you ok?"

"What?" Demelza gave me a confused look, some of the cloudiness clearing from her eyes. "Oh yes, ofcourse. Why do you ask?"

"You're quite distracted." I pointed out.

"No, it's nothing." She shrugged. "I'm just worried about Snape's assignment. I've hardly made any headway in it, it's so tough. And to top that, Bole's been giving me a hard time."

"That little shit." I cursed under my breath. "If he puts one toe out of line, I'm going to bash his head with Coote's club."

Demelza chuckled at my viciousness. "Don't worry, he is not as insane as Flint. But yeah, if he tries to pull a stunt like his best friend did, you'll be the first to know."

Giving me a grin, Demelza flew away to her position on the west side of the Quidditch pitch. Though she had relaxed a bit when we were talking, her eyes were still troubled and I just knew that it wasn't because of any assignment or Bole. As I took up my own position, waiting for Harry to blow the whistle, I decided to have a heart-to-heart with Demelza right after practice was over.

Fifteen minutes into the practice, I scored my third goal, the Quaffle sailing past Harry and through the tallest post. He was an amazing Seeker, but when it came to keeping, he was too skinny for the position. One of the reasons Ron was a good Keeper was because of his physique. Being tall and burly meant he had enough surface area on his body to not rely on reflexes all the time.

As if on cue, my brother's shout resounded across the pitch. "Keeping is not your thing, mate. You should give it up before Ginny makes a fool of you."

"Ron!"

I dove down and hastily swung my legs off the broom, giving my brother a tight hug. Beside me, I heard the thud of another pair of legs landing on the ground and without looking, I knew it was Harry.

"What're you doing here?" The green eyed boy sounded as surprised as I felt at Ron's presence on the pitch. "Aren't you supposed to be in detention?"

I dislodged from Ron's arms but kept one of my own at his waist as he started to speak.

"Believe it or not, McGonagall let me go." he said in a bewildered tone, seemingly unable to believe that something like that could've happened.

Harry and I were on the same page as Ron, if our twin gasps of utter astonishment were any indication.

"No way!" Harry exclaimed. "How did you manage such a thing?"

"Honestly, I did nothing. It was all thanks to Malfoy."

Just like that, just from the sound of his name, my heart started to thud in my chest.

_Draco Malfoy_. The reason I had barely paid attention to any classes today, had hardly touched my plate at dinner. I was so preoccupied with the thoughts of him, it was no wonder Harry had to keep blowing the whistle to get my mind back on the practice.

A shiver raced up my spine as I thought of the way his steely grey eyes had pierced through mine in the library. Calling him scum had definitely been a bad idea, but once the words were out of mouth, I couldn't have done anything other than wait for him to retaliate. I had been prepared for a fight, knowing he would curse me or do _something_ to shake me up.

Imagine my surprise when, instead of throwing a curse or hurting me like he had done on the night of the patrol, all he did was clenched his jaw and gave me a look of such cold fury that for a moment, I actually wanted him to use his wand; anything to have his heated gaze directed elsewhere.

Because the shameful truth was, even as he had looked at me like he wanted to rip my head off, his intense, burning glare had had heat suffusing across the depths of my sex. The bundle of nerves between my thighs had zinged and throbbed, my _nipples_ had puckered beneath the school shirt. And all because of the glinting, angry heat in Malfoy's eyes.

Now wasn't that just fucked up?

After Malfoy had stomped away from our table, I had been too unsettled to keep working on the assignment with Denali, and so had asked him to meet up after lunch tomorrow to finish it. Now that I thought of it, Denali had agreed to my suggestion a bit too readily, making me wonder if he had been as disturbed with the confrontation as I was and hadn't had the mindset to keep studying any longer.

If that had really been the case though, Denali sure did a good job of hiding his emotions. He left with a blank face and a small nod, while I just sat there in the secluded corner of the library, heart thundering and my nether regions slick with arousal, trying to figure out why I was reacting so ridiculously to Draco Malfoy all of a sudden.

Now, five hours later, I was still as clueless as I had been before.

"Malfoy?" Harry's confused voice brought me back to my surroundings.

"Yeah, but more like, Malfoy _and_ Snape." Ron's lips curled in distaste for a moment, before he went on with his explanation. "Snape had pulled Malfoy out of detention, so it was just me polishing McGonagall's floor. That biased git must've given McGonagall some mundane reason to save his precious student's arse, for she had been so annoyed, she told me there was no point in serving detention if I didn't have Malfoy's pompousness to bear! Then she told me to get out of there and join the practice before she changed her mind and made me clean Filch's office!"

I let out a whistle and turned to look at Harry. "It looks like McGonagall is becoming cooler! First, she saves half the Quidditch team from Snape's sneaky clutches, and now, she lets Ron walk out of detention because Snape is clearly being a partial prick."

Letting a grin stretch my lips, I said gleefully, "You know what? I think we've finally opened McGonagall's eyes to the art of favoritism!"

Ron snorted and shook his head. "I wouldn't go that far, but yeah, it's definitely an improvement."

As Harry walked off to get the Snitch and a broom for Ron, I looked up at my brother and smiled at him. "You know, I actually missed you during the practices."

Ron ruffled my hair and grinned. "Not surprised. Who else can stop you from demolishing the goal stands?"

"Oh please." I swung a leg over my broom and flew a couple of feet off the ground, smirking down at my brother in challenge. "I dare you to try and save more than three of my goals."

With that, I soared upwards, the familiar energy of competitiveness surging through my veins. The team was back in full squad and so, this was an opportunity for all of us to play according to the game plans Harry drew up weeks ago. Just because McGonagall decided to let Ron off the hook tonight didn't mean she would have a change of heart the next few days as well. Thus, it was imperative that each of us played our positions like it was an actual match.

As the reserve squad took their positions, Peaks and Coote flew high above the rest of us, almost flanking the edges of the stands. Katie, Demelza and I formed a V-shape right at the center of the pitch with Katie in the middle, holding the Quaffle. When Ron finally placed himself in front of the tallest goal post, Harry released the Bludger and the Snitch in the air, blowing his whistle to signal the start of the practice. All thoughts of Draco Malfoy scarpered away as I whooshed and soared across the Quidditch pitch, gliding in the air like I was born to fly. It seemed like my team mates adopted the same intensity, the spirit I felt glinting back at me from their eyes.

Consequently, it ended up becoming the best practice I ever had to date.

Peaks and Coote successfully kept the Bludger from cracking our skulls on several occasions. True to my word, Ron couldn't stop me from scoring more than thrice, but I couldn't have increased the number to its double if it hadn't been for the tricky passes Demelza made at the right moments. Whatever had been bothering her before was obviously not on her mind anymore, for which I was glad.

Even the reserve squad played their best yet, holding a surprisingly strong defense which was both refreshing and impressive. They weren't as skilled as the Ravenclaw team, but still good enough to intercept a lot of passes between me and Katie.

Everyone followed Harry's game plan to the last word, exciting the Captain so much that _he_ got distracted from his own task. By the time he caught the Snitch and signaled the end of the practice, we were all sticky, thirsty and out of breath. Our muscles were going to ache like a bitch in the morning, but if the contented smile on everyone's face was any indication, no one cared. The practice had been worth it.

We waited for Harry to fly down and give his usual post-practice pep talk but when he landed on the ground, his first words took us by surprise.

"Guys, I'm so sorry." he said sheepishly, shifting from one foot to another. "I completely forgot about the time and now it is past curfew."

Katie and a couple of 5th year girls in the reserve squad gasped and made a dash for the changing room, their brooms still on the field. Harry looked at the forgotten brooms, then at the alarmed expression on everyone's face and sighed.

"Leave the brooms, I'll take them to the shed." he said, looking a bit guilty for some reason.

With hurried goodbyes, everyone left for their respective changing rooms, probably just to grab their uniforms and get to the Tower before it got really late and Filch caught us. The practice had been great but not enough to endure detention, and that's what the caretaker would happily give us if he found us in the corridor at this time. Merlin knew his ears would be deaf to reason.

I was about to leave when I saw Ron staying back to help Harry pick up the brooms. "Do you guys need another pair of hands?" I wasn't sure if I really wanted to stay back, but there were at least a dozen brooms and by the time the two would be done returning them to the shed, it would be quite late.

Harry shook his head while Ron said, "No, we're good. Off you go, Ginny. Don't want to let Filch get a hold of you."

Rolling my eyes, I gave them a salute and trotted off the pitch. I chuckled when I heard Harry tell Ron, "You know, sometimes I forget that everyone is not as adept as us at nighttime prowling."

Jogging towards the castle, I looked up at the sky. The moon was glowing brightly with just a thin curve still in the shadows, meaning it was going to be a full moon tomorrow night. As much as I wished to savour the silhouettes of the distant hills against the moonlight, I didn't have the time for the luxury.

When I entered the changing room, the only occupant inside was Demelza, who had already put on the uniform and was now shoving her Quidditch robes inside her locker. Remembering what had happened the last time I left the changing room unaccompanied, I was about to ask her to wait for me. It wasn't that I was scared, but it didn't hurt to stay cautious. Besides, I still wanted to talk to her about whatever was on her mind.

She must've expected my words or read my mind, because she hurriedly crossed over to the door and said, "I'd wait for you, Ginny, but I'm tired as hell and I still need to finish the Transfiguration homework." Without waiting for a reply, she rushed out a, "See you in a bit." and barreled out of the room.

I stood there for a moment, confused and slightly miffed. Did Demelza just _ditch_ me?

Shaking my head, I quickly strode to my locker and proceeded to disrobe. When I was down to my underwear, my eyes landed on one of the shower stalls and I realized how dried sweat was making my skin itch and how grimy I was. Ofcourse, I would've showered as soon as I got back to the girl's dorm, but the sudden urge to wash myself was too strong.

Without thinking, I took off my underwear and hopped into the shower stall. As warm water sluiced over my body, I methodically scrubbed my skin and tried not to linger under the comforting stream. When I felt clean and fresh again, I turned off the shower and had to tiptoe outside because the floor was cold underneath my bare feet.

Though there was no clock in the changing room, I was sure it had been at least ten minutes since I was in here. Not bothering to put on my bra, I pulled on the panties and skirt and buttoned my shirt haphazardly. It wasn't like anyone was going to see me en route to the Gryffindor Tower. Besides, it would probably be unwise to get any later, and so I left my shoes unlaced, grabbed my school robe and tie and ran out of the changing room.

I wasn't particularly scared of getting caught by Filch, but being a Prefect meant I had a reputation to uphold. Unlike Harry, Ron and Hermione, I rarely sneaked out at night and even if I did, I made sure wherever I went wouldn't be patrolled by anyone at that time. It had made fooling around a bit tricky, and I remembered Kevin Whitby used to get quite annoyed because I refused to stay out past curfew just to make out.

As I took a turn and walked into the corridor which leads to the Entrance Hall, I realized it had been quite a while since I had fooled around with anyone. The few moments with Dean on the common room couch right after the win against Slytherin didn't count because both of us had been inebriated and had no idea what we were doing.

Was that why my body was reacting like a nymphomaniac whenever I saw Malfoy? Because I was sexually frustrated and he was one fine piece of male specimen?

That thought was immensely disturbing.

Maybe I shouldn't have been so hasty about dismissing the idea of going after Colin. He was a nice guy and though I knew he would want more than just a casual relationship, maybe that was what I needed. I had spent too long pining after one boy, and then too long trying to get over him by indulging in carnal pleasures with other boys who meant nothing to me. Maybe it was time for me to get into an actual committed relationship.

I climbed up the marble staircases, thanking Merlin when they didn't move to change direction. There was a passage beside the boy's bathroom on the 6th floor which leads to an entrance to the 7th floor closer to the Fat Lady's portrait, and I decided to use it. My limbs had started to feel heavy and the faster I got to the common room, the better it would be for my overused muscles.

I had barely taken a couple of steps into the 6th floor corridor when I saw a familiar figure get out of the boy's bathroom. I froze on spot, breath caught in my lungs as a sudden burst of arousal hit all my erogenous zones.

_Oh God, not him, not here, not now. _

He was walking towards me, head hung low and a hand running through the blonde fringes on his forehead. He hadn't seen me yet and for a brief moment, I wondered if I could turn and run away without attracting his attention. The chances were slim even with his eyes elsewhere, but when they looked up and locked into mine, all thoughts of running flew away from my head.

Fucking hell, Draco Malfoy was _gorgeous_. Standing 10 or so feet away, he was as still as me, hands suspended in his hair. I could see droplets of water trailing over his face and had the sudden urge to lick them off. Remnants of the encounter in the library earlier today flashed across my eyes; his nasty words, his heated eyes, the aura of sexuality surrounding him, how, even after all the insults he had thrown at my face, I had wanted to jump his bones.

I _still_ wanted to jump his bones. And the scariest part was, with no one around to remind me of common sense, I was having a hard time trying not to act on the urges grappling my mind and body.

It was ridiculous that I was scared to walk forward and pass by him. What else could he do except sneer at me and maybe call me a blood traitor? But I was still scared because, even from this distance, heat was building at my core from the mere sight of him. I didn't even want to think what would happen when I got closer.

Malfoy wasn't moving either. Unlike me, he didn't have a reason pulling him back, so why was he still there? It was way past curfew and there was no shortcut to the dungeons which would get him there in less than 10 minutes. So why wasn't he rushing to get back to his dorm? What was his deal? Whatever it was, I couldn't just stand there like an idiot and stare at him. The fact aside that doing so would come off as creepy, I didn't want to embarrass myself.

Steeling my nerves, I forced my legs to move and pushed forward, breaking the eye contact and pretending that the blonde Adonis in front of me didn't exist. If luck was on my side, he would do the same, though a small part of my heart twitched when I walked closer to him and he didn't even acknowledge my existence. Against my will, my eyes were on their way to satisfy the need to see him again, but thankfully, they were stopped by the berating of my inner voice.

_You'd rather he snapped at you?_ _Pushed you against the wall? Hurt you? Anything as long as it showed he was aware of you? Are you that desperate? That insecure? Where's your self-respect, girl?_

Fingers balled into a fist, I kept my eyes straight ahead and walked forward. I felt his gaze on me like a lick of flame and clutched the bundle of clothing in my hand tighter to my chest, trying not to shiver. When I had rushed out of the changing room, the warmth from the shower had lingered under my skin and so I hadn't bothered to put the robe on. Now though, I thought maybe that hadn't been a good idea.

_Five more steps_, I thought. _Five more steps and you'll be into the passage and away from him._

In a stride, I was in level with him, my peripherals taking in his casual pose as he leaned against the door to the boy's bathroom. There was something in his stance which gave off an aura of rigidity and anticipation, belying the unaffected pose he had assumed. And he just _simply_ stood there, staring at me, making my insides squirm.

I couldn't help myself anymore, the compulsion was too strong to resist. I _had_ to look at him. The passageway was just around the corner anyway, so it really wouldn't make a difference if I took a tiny peek before leaving him behind, would it?

Of course it would. I was a fool for even thinking otherwise. Those insidious grey eyes snared me the instant I looked into them.

A gasp escaped through my lips as his smoldering gaze caused a sudden rush of arousal spiraling through my stomach. The sound had been barely audible, but Malfoy seemed to hear it anyway, those glacial eyes zeroing on my lips as they rounded on the exhalation. I quickly shut my mouth and gulped, fingers digging further into the bundle of clothing clutched tightly against my stomach, as if that could somehow stop the coils of energy zinging there.

For the love of everything holy, _what was happening to me?_

Snapping my neck, I hung my head low so that hair fell all over my face like a curtain, blocking his view all together. Blood was rushing as fast as a current through my veins, and if I stood a second more in his rousing presence, I had a feeling something bad would happen; something like me throwing myself at him and becoming the laughingstock of the century. It didn't matter that _he_ was looking at me like he _wanted_ me to do something like that. It was probably just a trick of the torches.

The advantage of having long legs finally paid off and with just two steps, I was into the passage with Draco Malfoy finally out of my visual range. Under the stoned archway of the tunnel-like passage, I heaved a sigh of relief, leaning slightly against the wall.

In all the time I had lusted after Malfoy, I had _never_ felt this way before. I had never felt like rubbing myself all over his body, threading both hands through his hair, kissing him senseless. Okay, I did imagine kissing him senseless on countless occasions, but never to this extent. The urge had never been this strong, this irresistible. Among people, I could tamp the impulses down, but with no one around, Draco Malfoy would be lethal for me.

My only defense against him was the constant reminder from my inner voice that I hated him, but when my body refused to listen to my conscience and bruised pride, there really wasn't anything I could do. I sent a silent thanks to whoever was listening up above for granting me enough strength to walk away from the sudden temptation that was Draco Malfoy. My relief was short lived, however, for just when I started to cross the passage, a familiar drawl stopped me in my tracks.

"Quite the scared little weasel, aren't you?"

**Draco**

Her spine straightened, but she didn't turn immediately. As she took her time to face me, my eyes perused her shapely behind. There were wrinkles on her skirt and her shoelaces were dangling on the floor, but that didn't reduce the appeal of her well-endowed arse and toned legs. She turned slowly, inches at a time, and as the curves of her behind caught the light from the single torch in the passageway, I let out a silent whistle in my head.

_Damn_, _that is a really nice arse._

As soon as my brain processed that thought, I felt like banging my head in disgust and frustration. I didn't want to have wayward thoughts about her arse. I didn't want to find the flex of the tendons in her calves sexy. I didn't want know the feel of her pale things. I didn't want to appreciate anything about Ginny Weasley in the first place.

But here I was, roving my eyes all over her form. The more I looked, the worst I felt because the more I looked, the more I wanted to _touch_. Oh Gods, what I wouldn't do to just touch her, skim my fingers over her knees and glide them above, above, until they reached-

"Excuse me?"

Had I uttered my thoughts out loud? Horror struck, I quickly looked up to see her face scrunched in confusion. It wasn't the expression I had expected from a girl who had just heard someone fantasize over her legs, which meant my mouth hadn't slipped in any way. But her eyes were squinted and her posture had automatically grown defensive. It didn't take a genius to figure out that erotic words were not needed for me to unsettle her; she felt uncomfortable just by being in my presence.

The realization that I could disrupt her emotional armor was immensely satisfying_. Good_, I thought. _Let her feel ill at ease around me. It's only fair, considering how I feel right now. Restless, frustrated, angry, a slave to my own body. Let her get a taste of what my life has become._

I crossed my arms and smirked, leaning against the wall of the passageway and exuding an air of calmness I did not feel. "The way you are scampering away, it's evident that you're afraid of me."

She opened her mouth in an indignant manner, obviously getting ready to throw a barrage of denials my way. But I refused to have any of that. It was time she admitted that she wanted me and made things easier.

"I've only got one question, though." Before she could make a sound, I took a couple of steps closer to her and watched as her eyes widened and her breath hitched. Her reaction had my smirk widening in girth. "When are you going to come to terms with your fear?"

Ginny Weasley wasn't scared of me; I bet fear was the last thing she felt when it came to me. Sometimes I wondered if the girl feared anything at all, what with being noble and courageous and blah blah blah - a Gryffindor to boot. It was rather disgusting when I thought about it.

Whatever was making her run and act defensive though, it was all her own issue. She might not be scared of me, but something was holding her back from getting what she wanted. And I knew without a doubt that what she wanted was _me_. The telltale tinges of red on her cheeks and the sudden increase in her breathing rate since she saw me had not gone unnoticed. These bodily signs only pointed to one thing; she was_ aroused_.

The observation alone got blood surging to my shaft and I had to breathe through my mouth so that her enticing kiwi scent didn't further engulf my senses. If I got one whiff of her scent, I would be sporting a full-fledged erection which would be quite hard to miss. I didn't want her to know what she did to my body, not yet, not before I learned her weaknesses as well.

What I needed to do was goad and taunt her until she became so mindless with fury, she would let go of all her inhibitions. In that moment, she would be at her most vulnerable state, giving me the perfect opportunity to make my move. Though I still had no idea what exactly my 'move' would be, I knew that to get through to Weasley, first I would need to get her guard down.

"Oh _please_, Malfoy, snap out of your delusions." She scoffed, glaring at me, a bit of her bravado returning now that we were back on familiar ground with the exchange of taunts and insults. "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm _not_ afraid of you?"

"How many times are you going to lie?" I fired back.

Her eyes narrowed. "Do you get off on pissing the hell out of people? Or is it just a part-time hobby to keep your boring self entertained?"

If the muscles in my jaw hadn't been stretched taut in tension, I would've cracked a smile at her jab. Instead, I gritted my teeth and prayed for patience, taking in a lungful of air through my mouth to keep a clear head. All my body wanted to do was take a run in the woods; sprint until my feet hurt and the restlessness in my limbs alleviated. It was that or rip Ginny Weasley's clothes to shreds and fuck her against the wall. Since I couldn't do either, I was a very, _very_ irritated man right now.

"Boring, am I?" I took another step towards her but this time, she didn't even blink. It seemed like she had gotten over the uneasiness she had felt moments earlier at my proximity and was back to being her confident, Gryffindor self. I felt a pang of frustration but quickly tamped it down. "Lying is not one of your strongest suits, Weasley. Did anyone ever tell you that?"

"Some people did, actually." She nodded in agreement, which surprised me until she smirked and added, "Which is why you should take my word for it when I say that you're very _uninteresting_."

"Your nipples don't seem to think so."

Those hazel eyes widened until they resembled saucers. Her head snapped down and when she saw the aforementioned nipples peeking through the material of her shirt, her face flushed a ruddy red which would've been visible in the dim light of the single torch in the passageway even if my eyesight hadn't been so keen. I would've taken immense pleasure at her embarrassment, except that I was too busy staring at her chest like a starved man.

_God, she wasn't wearing a bra._

The observation had arcs of lightning shooting through my balls and I smothered a groan, clenching my hands so that they didn't do something stupid like reach out to stroke her nipples, see if they grew harder against my ministrations. _Pointier_.

Boring? Uninteresting? _My arse_. Ginny Weasley wanted me as much as I wanted her, maybe more. Who knew? She definitely had the hots for me last year and knowing how I looked to the opposite sex, I bet my Firebolt Pro that she was aroused right now. If I had any doubts before that she was still attracted to me, it evaporated the moment she clutched the robe in her hand to her chest and hid her luscious tits from view.

"Fuck you, Malfoy." She sneered, trying to compose herself but her voice still held traces of embarrassment and queasiness. "It's just cold in here, that's all."

I moved even closer, trailing a finger along the wall as I advanced. I saw her eyes flicker at the lazy stroke my finger was making and she gulped. _Oh fuck yes_, she had the hots for me alright.

"You sure?" I had wanted to drawl, but my voice came out as a raspy whisper. A tremor rippled through her, small and almost undetectable. It made me want to grin. Finally, I was getting through her bravado.

"You know what I think?" I stepped into her personal space, just a couple of inches from where she stood. She stepped back almost involuntarily, wariness starting to cloud her eyes; wariness and something else that flickered in and out too quickly for me to understand. "I think that it's not the cold that's making your little nipples hard."

Her mouth opened but no sound came out. For a moment, she looked dazed, and then her expression quickly became belligerent. I couldn't afford to let her smart mouth take over, so I interrupted her once again before she started her tirade.

"I think it's me." I smirked, one corner of my lips lifting to show teeth. "You're aroused, Weasley, because of _me_."

"I'm not-you presumptuous-"

"I think your heart is thundering in your chest and you're trying not to pant." I continued to speak in a low drawl, ignoring her sputtering. "I think your skin is itching to come in contact with mine."

"What the hell, Malfoy-"

"I think," I growled softly, warningly, looming over her and effectively shutting her up. "You're wet between your thighs."

Her lower lip trembled and the dazed look was back on her face. I chuckled darkly, lowering my head and brushing my nose against the shell of her ear. Her sudden intake of breath was unmistakable and it caused a wave of lust to roll through my gut towards my loins. Or was it the fact that I had accidentally sniffed her hair?

Kiwis. _Fuck_.

Before I completely lost my mind, I whispered in a gravelly voice, "You want me, Weasley. You _crave _me."

I pulled back, needing to see her face. Her teeth were sunk into her bottom lip, as if she was trying to hold back sounds from emanating from her mouth. My own teeth started to ache, wanting to bite her soft flesh. When her eyes lifted to mine, I saw they were cloudy and slightly unfocussed. As the seconds ticked by, she didn't utter a single word, only stared right back at me.

I was starting to wonder that maybe this was it, the vulnerable moment I had been anticipating. All I had to do was say the right words and then-

"Fuck your bull shit, Malfoy. I'm out of here."

I was taken aback by her abrupt hostility. Just moments ago, she had been under my spell, seemingly pacified. Whatever thoughts had momentarily placated her, they were gone and replaced by a smoldering hatred reflecting in her amber gaze.

I saw her turn in slow motion; saw my only opportunity slipping from my fingers. Merlin knew when I'd find her alone again, let alone in a deserted place. Taunting her had gotten me the satisfaction of knowing she was still attracted to me, but apparently I had crossed the limit to her patience. Even her pride wouldn't allow her to stay back and brawl if I called her a coward again. That mode of action was becoming overused and soon, she would grow immune to my taunts.

Something deep and primal in my chest roared in anger and frustration, wanting to stop her from leaving my side. She was mine and if I didn't do something soon to let her know that-preferably in the next 5 seconds-I had a feeling another opportunity to do so would never arise again.

Out of nowhere, Blaise's voice rang in my ears.

_Why don't you just shove the lass up against a wall and kiss her senseless? She'll be putty in your hands in no time._

Not even bothering to get a signal from my brain, my limbs reached forward on their own to heed Blaise's advice. One of my pale hands grabbed Weasley's elbow steadfastly and tugged with force, pulling her back. I saw her mouth open in a gasp and her eyes glitter with anger and apprehension. Her free hand reached for something inside the robe, possibly her wand. Before she could get a hold of it, I pulled her flush against my chest, cupped her chin firmly and slammed my lips down on hers.

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><p><strong>From DamnDraco<strong>: I know, I know, this is the worst time to end a chapter. I'm sorry, but I felt like the chapter had gone on too long! Don't worry, Draco and Ginny will start off from right where you left them in the next chapter! Just be patient, my dear readers!


	7. Chapter 7

**From DamnDraco: **Woah! I honestly didn't think I could finish writing this chapter in just over a month. Considering the last chapter took three months, I thought this would take even more. And it would've, but I chose to keep it at 12, 300 words because honestly, I couldn't wait to post it. They finally kiss! Please review and tell me what you thought of the kiss. I haven't written smut in a while so my expression may be a bit overused. I promise it'll get better as I write more mature scenes. _  
><em>

Thanks alot to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, specially** ijustsailedaway, Some Stranger keeps starring, starbabe85, rroxannet** and **Nutmeg44. **Yes, you get mentioned by the author if you leave me with big, detailed review :P

**Note:** See that it's _Dec 8th_ after the kissing scene. A day has passed and the new scene from Ginny's POV starts from the night of the _second_ day since the kiss. I thought it might confuse some readers, so I'm mentioning it here.

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><p><em>Dec 6<em>_th__, Monday_

_[9.30 pm]_

**Ginny**

Shock held my body immobile when I felt the hard press of Draco Malfoy's lips on mine. His skin was surprisingly hot as he held onto my elbow with one hand while the other cupped my jaw firmly, almost forcefully, preventing me from shoving him or moving my head. I still had some room to jerk and struggle but I hardly moved a muscle, hardly breathed. Truth was, I didn't want to push him away.

As soon as his lips had crashed on mine, the area of contact had started to tingle in the most arousing manner. Sparks of electricity shot across my skin, prickling and sizzling until they centered in my womb, creating a coil of heated energy which slowly spread to the soft folds between my legs. My heart started to gallop in my chest, but I couldn't breathe; couldn't _think_. Desire like I had never felt before was engulfing my senses, creating a haze in my mind.

I had spent countless nights dreaming of Draco Malfoy's kisses, but never in my wildest fantasies had I thought it would be this _titillating_. All he had done was planted his lips on mine, but the sensations I felt in the mere seconds rivaled the most intense make out sessions I had with other boys. Hell, I couldn't even think of any other male except the one who was kissing me right now.

But something was nagging at the back of my mind, trying to push through the haze of desire clouding my senses.

_Why_ was Draco Malfoy kissing me?

Before I could acknowledge that question, his lips started to move and every thought in my head flew out of the window in a rush of heated pleasure.

His lips were as smooth as satin, but firm and hot; hotter than I had imagined, and God, I imagined _plenty_. But no amount of dreams and fantasies had prepared me for the experience of kissing Draco Malfoy. _Really _kissing him.

His grip on my jaw tightened as he stroked my lips with his, heating the delicate muscles with his ministrations. I gasped, unable to stop from reacting when the tingling sensation in my lips grew stronger, the nerve endings buzzing with joy and elation as Draco deepened the kiss, pressing harder against my lower lip.

The gasp had caused my lips to part; not much, just mere centimeters, but enough to allow Draco's upper lip to snuggle in between the space. I wanted to suck the thin stretch of muscle inside my mouth, lave it with my tongue, but before I could take any course of action, _he_ did it to me.

A moan wrenched from my chest when I felt his teeth capture my bottom lip with a hard tug, the pull echoing in the bundle of tender nerves between my legs and causing a fresh rush of juices to coat the secret flesh.

My sex was so slick with arousal that if I moved my thighs, the soft folds would glide smoothly against each other, hardly creating any friction at all. Tendrils of heat furled and unfurled in my womb, creating sensations which threatened to rob me of my sanity as Draco sucked on my bottom lip.

When I felt the tip of his tongue wetting the plump curve, every molecule in my body froze for a moment. The moment lasted a second, in which my brain shut down completely and then an inferno of lust blazed across my body until the aforementioned molecules zinged back to life with arousal.

A primitive instinct took over my senses and my body came alive. I found myself reaching up with the hand Draco wasn't gripping and thrusting my fingers through his hair, not even noticing when the bundle of clothes, along with my wand, fell from my arms to the floor. A low growl emanated from his mouth as the soft, fine hairs on his head sifted across my fingers, their texture silky and sensuous as I gripped them to hold his head in place.

Tilting my head slightly to get a better angle, I flicked my tongue lightly over the curve of his upper lip, delighting in the rough sound he made.

Before I knew it, he was turning and then I felt my back slam against the wall of the passageway. A soft grunt escaped my lips at the impact, which quickly turned into a loud moan when Draco plastered his body to mine, never breaking the connection of our lips.

The sensation of being sandwiched between the stone-cold wall and Draco's hot body was creating havoc on my mind. The fine line between right and wrong dimmed when he slanted his lips and kissed me fiercely, fingers digging into my elbow and chin, shooting bolts of lightning across my skin.

The feel of his chest brushing against my own caused my nipples to tighten in awareness and a sweet pull registered between my legs. His chest was hard and hot, the ridges of his toned muscles pressing erotically against the softer contours of my body. Hypnotic warmth seeped from his body into mine, searing through my limbs and settling in my breasts. My nipples puckered and beaded and swelled against my shirt, the tender buds impossibly hard.

Nails scrapping along his scalp, I ran my fingers down his hair to the back of his neck. His low groan as I scratched his nape was melody to my ears.

His lips grew rowdy and wild, feeding me the most passionate kiss of my life. I had never been kissed like this, never thought a mere kiss could illicit such a strong response from my body. It felt so damn good my skin _sizzled_.

I cried out when Draco's tongue thrust through the seam of my lips, but the sound came out muffled against the insistent press of his mouth. He took advantage of the opened state of my lips and pushed in further, his tongue twining and probing against mine. A wave of desire washed over me and I arched against him, flattening my breasts along his rock-hard chest. The hypnotic warmth vanished from my limbs, only to be replaced by a raging fire, the flames flaring and igniting with every stroke of his velvet tongue.

My eyes lost their struggle to stay open and I found myself drowning in the sensations Draco's tongue stirred in me. His tongue was hot, wet and incredibly talented as it invaded my mouth. My taste buds tingled to life as they took in his flavor, the spicy taste heady and unmistakably male. I couldn't help myself anymore. His taste was addictive and intoxicating and I just had to have more of it.

In a bold move, I closed my lips around his tongue and sucked on it, relishing the harsh groans which reverberated through him.

The hand at his nape moved down until it came to rest on his chest right above his heart. His heart thudded in his chest, his breathing as erratic as my own. The realization that the kiss was affecting him as much as it was affecting me caused my stomach to flutter in excitement.

I wished he would let go of my elbow so that I could place both my hands on his chest, feel the play of his delicious muscles underneath my fingertips. Instead, I had to settle for clutching his shirt with one hand to keep myself from falling.

Draco let go of the unyielding grip he hand on my chin, his fingers skittering across the sides of my neck until they wrapped themselves around my throat. Fear of being choked, coupled with lust at his dominant action caused shivers to race up my spine. Liquid heat pooled between my legs and I burned inside. Hunger raced through my veins, making me whimper as the button of flesh between the moist folds of my sex throbbed with longing. Bolts of lust bombarded my senses as I basked in the decadence of being at Draco Malfoy's mercy.

The hand at my elbow finally started to move up my arm, just as he his mouth inched away from mine, retracting his tongue from the snug grip of my lips. My eyes flew open in a moment of panic. I wanted more, wanted _everything _he had to give and wasn't ready to let this end yet. Not now, not when I'd barely gotten enough of his taste.

Our gazes clashed and for a moment, time stood still. His clear grey eyes were now a storm of mercury, the pupils dilated. What I saw in the depths of the tempestuous orbs thrilled me to my bones, because it indicated that his intentions were far from leaving. There was a feral gleam in his eyes, a wild hunger which should've sent me running in the opposite direction. Instead, it had arrows of lust darting through my womb, heating my blood.

Before I could enjoy the sensation of his hot breaths on my lips as he panted softly, the hand on my arm snaked across my waist and pulled me forward, smashing my breasts against his toned chest. I whimpered as the hard tips of my nipples pressed into his muscles, causing an almost unbearable ache in my breasts as well as my stomach and lower.

He craned my neck using the hold he had on my throat, the grip tightening without causing any discomfort. I felt the back of my head thud against the wall of the passageway, but before the slight pain could register, his head swooped down to plunder my lips.

I let out a silent prayer when his tongue found his way back to the cavern of my mouth, tasting me as thoroughly as I tasted him. I was on fire, alight with need. My hands found their way back to his hair and my fingers nestled in the silky strands.

Scorching heat blazed from wherever his skin touched mine-lips, throat, waist- turning my bones to jelly. We were so close; I bet he could feel my belly quivering just as I could suddenly feel the rigid length of his arousal pressing hotly against the cradle of my thighs.

The world around me ceased to exist as the outline of his erection pushed against my body. All I knew was Draco, his invading mouth, his state of arousal, and my own. If this was a dream, I never wanted to wake up.

**Draco**

A maelstrom of lust engulfed my mind, robbing me of any common sense. Control had long ago slipped from my fingers as the taste and smell of the redhead in my arms wrapped me in a cloak of desire so strong, I had to stop myself from howling out.

My cock was so fucking hard; I feared it would rip through my pants any moment. All I wanted to do was undo the zipper of my trousers, lift her skirt up, rip her panties and thrust inside her warmth. If the way she was responding to the kiss was any indication, she would let me do those things to her without any complains.

But no matter how much I wished I could take her against the wall, attain the sweet, sweet release my body had been craving for the past God-knew-how-many months, this was not the right time.

In an attempt to soothe the ache in my balls, I grinded against Weasley, rubbing my cock along her stomach. Consequent blasts of pleasure tore through my gut as my cock grew impossibly harder. The friction had done nothing to tamp down the hunger raging through my veins. Instead, it had elevated it to a new level which nearly stripped me of my being.

God, she tasted so good; _too_ good. I twined my tongue around hers and groaned as her delicious flavor filled my mouth; sweetness with traces of tang just to keep things interesting. Her fresh, citrus scent wafted around me, making my head reel. I didn't think I could look at kiwis again without thinking about Ginny Weasley and her smooth, smooth skin.

She fit perfectly in my arms, her breasts and thighs cushioning all the right places of my body. Even the way her fingers were lodged in my hair felt perfect. My entire universe centered on her and in that moment, all I could think of was getting inside her, marking her, _biting_ her.

I wanted to rut her like the beast I was.

With a firm tug on her waist, I smashed her hips against mine, digging my cock into her stomach and groaning as spears of erotic pleasure hurtled through my gut. I didn't think I had ever been this hard; this _hungry_. Beneath the hand I had around her throat, her pulse ricocheted and with a moan, she started undulating her hips, just as the earthy scent of her arousal hit my nostrils.

A voracious frenzy took hold of my senses. Every muscle coiled with tension and lust as a deep growl erupted from within my chest. I stood stock-still, letting the wash of sensations heat my blood into an inferno as she gyrated her hips and pressed into me. The smell of her arousal drifted in the air, strong and sweet, tightening my gut and empowering my senses. It rained havoc on my mind, creating a bonfire of need deep in my belly.

When she let out a small whimper, tightening the grip on my hair and pushing against my tongue, twisting her pelvis so that her stomach brushed erotically along my cock, I knew I had to let her go. If I didn't, if I let her continue these wanton movements, I was going to lose my grasp on the tiny thread of control still holding me back and fuck her right there.

With a groan, I thrust away from her, our lips creating a suctioning noise as they were wrenched apart. Panting, I took in her form.

She was breathing hard, her chest rising and falling rapidly. The movement drew my eyes to her breasts; more specifically, her nipples. The jutted little points would've been hard to miss anyway, pressed as they were against her shirt. I had to fight to prevent my eyes from lingering on the tempting globes of her breasts.

My eyes trailed up, up across the fragile dip of her collarbone and the arch of her pale neck until they reached her face. What I saw there had my unruly cock bobbing in the confines of my trousers. Her lips glistened with moisture, the plump curves pouty and swollen from the kiss. An enticing shade of pink stretched from her cheeks to the slopes of her nose, making her skin glow with vitality as the light from the torch hit her face directly. It was her eyes though, which caused my lungs to constrict with want.

Hazel eyes looked back at me in dazed lust, a drowsy sensuality burning in their depths. She wasn't blinking, or making any sort of movement, now that I noticed. It was as if the kiss had sent her into a trance. If I reached for her again, I knew without any doubt that she'd be more than compliant in my arms.

And I wanted her back in my arms, our bodies pressed so close to each other she wouldn't be able to tell where I ended and she began. _God_, I wanted that so fucking much, it was with a herculean effort that I reined in the lusty urges.

My legs felt heavy when I stepped back. They were almost unresponsive, as if they didn't want to move away from the luscious girl in front of me. She was looking at me dazedly, her gaze sensuous and unfocussed, and I realized it would be pretty easy to ignore all the warning bells ringing in my head and thrust my tongue back inside her mouth.

Fists clenched at my side, I forced my legs to move. She blinked at the retreat, the cloudiness starting to dissipate from the earthy orbs. The movement had snapped her out of whatever trance she had been in. Her eyes started to crinkle at the edges, as if she was confused. If I didn't say anything before she fully got her bearing back, she would curse and rage and deny the magnitude of what had happened. I just _knew_ she would do that and I couldn't let her.

Because if one word of denial left her mouth, if she so much as said something along the lines of _not_ being attracted to me, no force in the world would be able to stop me from fucking her. I would pounce on her like a hungry beast, making her submit to me, submit to the desires that burned underneath her skin because of _me_. She would accept that I owned her body, and then she would never defy me again.

"Remember…" My voice came out as a raspy growl and I struggled to speak through the lust and aggression grappling my mind. "Remember this the next time you deny that you want me."

With one last look at her smoldering face, I turned and walked away, expecting to hear screeches of fury resounding across the corridor. But they never came. Tendrils of satisfaction coursed through me at the thought that I could shut Ginny Weasley up so effectively. It made me forget about the raging hard on I was sporting, but only for a few moments. Grimacing, I looked down at the tent in my pants and almost growled in frustration.

I was headed towards the dungeons before the redhead had come in my path. There was no way that I could go there now, in this state. Not only did I need to jerk off _badly_, I needed to blow some steam. I needed to shake off the tension in my limbs, release the excess energy heating my blood. Nothing could ease me at this point, but I couldn't just lay idle. I needed to do _something_. Run, swim, duel, fuck-wait, not that. Anything but _that_.

With a frustrated shake of my head, I made my way towards the Lakehouse.

_Dec 8th, Wednesday_

_[7.35 pm]_

**Ginny**

"Ginny, will you stop mutilating the steak, please?" Hermione snapped. "It's ruining my appetite."

"Quit looking at it if it bothers you so much." I gritted out, stabbing at the piece of meat once again to make a point to the Head Girl.

She rolled her eyes and huffed. "Can't really do that since you're sitting right in front of me, now can I?"

When I didn't comment on that, merely went back to picking at the poor piece of steak which had unfortunately ended up on my plate, she said, "What has gotten_ into_ you? You've been acting weird since yesterday."

"Actually," Demelza piped up from beside me. "She's been this way since Monday night."

"Well aren't you an observant one." I said sarcastically, scowling at the black girl.

"Sheath the claws, woman." Demelza grinned slightly to let me know she wasn't offended and went back to finishing her dinner. "I'm only getting the facts straight."

"Whatever." I muttered, unable to conjure the energy to retort.

"Honestly, Ginny, what happened?" Hermione pressed on, putting her fork down and leaning forward. "Is it Malfoy again?"

Three months of emotional training stopped me from freezing at the mention of his name. I thanked God for gracing me with a quick mind, or else the initial shock at how dead on Hermione was about the reason behind my agitated state would've shown on my face, giving me away.

"What-of course not!" I exclaimed, nose scrunched to show that her assumption had insulted me. "Why would you say that?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes for a moment, giving me a deliberating look, then shrugged and shifted her attention back to her plate. "You patrolled with him last night, so I thought he did something to piss you off."

He did something alright; gave me the best damn kiss of my life and then left me standing there like a fool. The asshole simply _left_. And that had just been the start to an endless humiliation.

I had been unable to sleep that night, replaying ever moment of the kiss over and over in my head as I lay in bed with the drapes drawn shut. It had taken an hour of half-witted musings and bethinking to finally admit to myself that the kiss had actually taken place, that it hadn't been a figment of my overactive imagination. Once that had been done, there was nothing else I could do but berate and chew myself out. And I had done just that for the next six hours, screaming into the pillow now and then for good measure.

Merlin, what had I been thinking, letting Draco Malfoy touch me? _Kiss_ me?

Not only had I uttered a single word of protest when he planted those insidious lips on mine, I had kissed him _back_. Gladly and wantonly, without even thinking of the consequences. One touch of his lips, and I had been putty in his hands, willing to do anything he would've asked. It had been as if he put a spell on me, enveloping my senses in a fog of lust so potent, my brain had shut down. I had been unable to think, just _felt_. Felt with every cell in my being.

I had felt the thrust of his hot tongue, the heat emanating from his skin seeping into mine. I had felt my nipples elongate as they brushed along his hard chest. I had felt his erection straining against my stomach, creating a rush of longing in my veins. Most of all, I had felt the whirlpool of lust which coursed through me, destroying every thought and emotion until my reality had receded to Draco Malfoy and the electrifying arousal that flared between us.

Even now, almost two days later, the feelings were as fresh as new. "Remember…" the haughty bastard had said, looking down at me as if I belonged to him. Well, sucks for me, I couldn't forget even if I spent eons trying. He had successfully managed to imprint the kiss on my mind, body and soul, the _fucker_.

God, just the thought of how easily he had manipulated my body caused fury and humiliation to crawl under my skin. I had hardly put up any resistance, giving him free reign over me in the blink of an eye. A touch of his lips, and I had been a goner, yielding to his advances like a trained pet. Hell, if he hadn't pulled away, there was no telling what the kiss would've led to, because I hadn't had any intention of stopping.

Meet Ginny Weasley, loser extraordinaire. A pathetic excuse of a female, unable to control her desire for the enemy, letting him do whatever he wanted as long as he was touching her. _God_.

"Clutch the fork any tighter, and it's gonna bend, Gin."

Harry's amused voice had me turning in my seat, halting the self-criticism temporarily. Standing right behind me with his trademark messy hair and slightly skewed glasses, he grinned at me. Not many people knew that behind the boyish looks and easy smiles, he had carried the world on his shoulders.

"Poor fork, eh." I smirked without humor, loosening the grip on the piece of utensil.

He shook his head, running his hand through his hair. "Listen, Gin. I know I said yesterday was the last practice before Christmas, but I want to conduct one tomorrow night. No reserves, just the first squad."

"Harry, don't you think you're going overboard a bit?" My voice was slightly strained from trying to keep the irritation at bay. "I mean, we worked out butts off last night and we'll still have two days of practice after the holidays. I'd say we're pretty well organized by now."

"I know, but..." Harry shifted from one foot to another, giving off a nervous vibe. "There are a couple of drills I want everyone to try out in the Christmas break, and I didn't want to show them in front of the reserve squad because they might have felt left out."

"You're going to see us during the break anyway." I said exasperatedly. "Why not show the drills then?"

"Yes, because your mum has invited the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team to stay at the Burrow, hasn't she?"

I grinned at Harry sheepishly while he rolled his eyes.

"Let Demelza, Jimmy and Ritchie know, yeah? I've got to run." His eyes flickered behind me as he stepped back. "See you at the library, Hermione."

"But Demelza is right-" I turned sideways to see the seat which had been previously occupied by the other Chaser empty. "-here?" I looked at Hermione then, confusion etched across my face. "Where'd she go?"

"Left minutes ago." Hermione sipped her pumpkin juice, giving me a wry look over the rim of the goblet. "You were too lost in your head to notice her goodbye."

"Err, sorry about that. I was just thinking about the Potions assignment which is due day after tomorrow." Just as I had hoped, the mention of studies had the suspicion disappearing from Hermione's eyes. "Where were we? Oh yeah, the patrol. Right."

Taking a deep breath, I feigned boredom and said, "Malfoy never showed up last night."

"What?" Hermione's eyes went round as I shrugged, pretending his absence hadn't bothered me at all when, in reality, it had been infuriating beyond measure. "Why?"

"Don't know, don't care." God, when had I become such an amazing liar?

"I mean," Hermione continued, looking puzzled and thoughtful. "Malfoy is a crowning prat, but when it comes to prefect duties, he isn't a slacker."

"Maybe someone lit his willy on fire." I muttered darkly, not really paying attention to the words coming out of my mouth.

"Ginny!"

I ignored Hermione's scandalized exclamation.

All around me, students were laughing and gossiping, teasing each other, catching up on the day's activities or simply enjoying the second last dinner before Christmas holiday. But here I was, brooding in middle of the Great Hall because a certain blonde Slytherin had snogged me senseless and then acted like I didn't exist. It had been one day, nineteen hours and forty five minutes since the kiss and he hadn't even looked at me _once_.

Asshole.

The day after the kiss had been an avalanche of every negative emotion I had ever felt; fear, anxiety, apprehension, guilt, self-disgust, embarrassment, but most of all, uncertainty. I had no idea what to expect or how to react when I saw Dra-Malfoy. I had no idea what _he_ expected from me or how _he_ would behave. Would he make my stomach clench with those smoldering eyes? Would he corner me in some alcove and touch me with those skillful fingers? Would I let him have his way with me once again, lose my mind with lust? What would he _do_?

In the end, all the mulling and brooding had been completely futile. There had been no sign of the Slytherin git throughout the whole day. I had gone out of my way to avoid him, but there were times when seeing him would've been inevitable, like during meals and when the 7th years got out of the Transfiguration class while the 6th years got in. Seeing him later at night had been a guarantee since we had a scheduled patrol. But Draco Malfoy had been nowhere in sight.

The desire to catch hold of Blaise Zabini and ask him where his best friend was had been hard to resist, but resist I did. It was a damn good thing that I didn't have to face Dra-Malfoy. My emotions had been too raw and I didn't really know what I would've done if he had confronted me. So I was immensely glad I didn't have to deal with him that day. I was really, truly glad.

Oh Merlin, why was I lying to myself?

Truth be told, a part of me had been slightly disappointed at his absence. In the time I spent dissecting, examining and psychoanalyzing the kiss, I couldn't figure out the motive behind it. Malfoy had never given the slightest indication that he was attracted to me, but then, out of nowhere, he snogged me like his life depended on it. And then, when he should've been explaining his actions to me the day after the kiss, he decided to vanish from school, leaving me in a state of frustrating uncertainty.

Wanker.

"It's rather strange." A considering look entered Hermione's eyes. "Malfoy missed all classes yesterday."

I almost snapped, "Tell me something I don't know." But as it was Hermione, she could probably hand me a list longer than Dumbledore's beard. So I kept my mouth shut and gave an unintelligible grunt.

"The teachers seemed quite oblivious to his absence." The Head Girl continued to muse, a contemplating quality to her voice. "I wonder why."

She turned her head on the last word. On reflex, I followed her gaze and ended up looking at the obscenely handsome face of Draco-fucking-asshole-Malfoy. He sat between Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini, smirking widely as the latter said something with a grin, causing Parkinson to pout and slap both of their arms playfully.

The zing that shot through my body at his sight was starting to become predictable, but that didn't diminish its effect one bit. Platinum blonde hair with its otherworldly metallic sheen, pale skin stretched over taut, honed muscles, that aristocratic nose – all together formed a package so intensely sensual, it caused a dim fire to erupt in my belly. It didn't help matters that I knew firsthand how silky those blonde strands felt on my fingers, or the feminine thrill the hardness of his muscles could evoke.

For all his carnal attributes, it was those stormy eyes which managed to send me into sensual overdrive. One glance into the whirlpool of mercury, and I _knew_ my body would react like a firecracker. No matter what emotion filled the depths of the grey orbs-be it anger, distaste, mockery or lust-it would have the same damning effect on me. It would swamp me in desire. A _loathsome_ desire.

So I should be happy that he hadn't trained the aforementioned eyes on me_ once_ since yesterday. Relief was what I should've been feeling, right?

Someone tell that to my traitorous heart.

I had been able to deal with his absence the day before, almost thankful for it even as I had felt anger and disappointment. The anger quickly turned into a blistering rage though, when the foul git completely ignored me _today_.

It wasn't as if I had assumed he'd come and talk to me about the kiss, not really. Of all the things I _had_ expected though, the complete lack of acknowledgement wasn't one of them. No perusing glances, not even those heated looks he had been giving me lately when we crossed paths in corridors or from across the Hall during meals. After lunch, I actually saw him swing an arm around Pansy Parkinson's waist while exiting the Hall, making my teeth grit in fury.

That was when I realized that Drac-Malfoy-_Malfoy_ had been toying with me for the past couple of days, and now that his scheme of manipulating my body into a puddle of wanton mush had been successful, he saw no reason to waste those deceptively hot looks on me. What infuriated and humiliated me beyond measure was how _easily_ I had acquiesced to his touch.

Even then, even knowing that I shouldn't, a tiny part of me had hoped he'd look at me just once as the day progressed. One glace from those grey eyes so that the insecure part of me could calm itself. But the loathsome jerk only fed my insecurity, hardly turning his head towards my direction. And now, it was dinner time, the day almost over, and I felt like the kiss hadn't taken place at all.

"Ginny?"

Hermione's concerned voice brought me out of my reverie with a jolt. Leaning towards me across the table, the older girl had her arms crossed and there were lines of worry etched at the corner of her eyes. "Are you alright?"

"I…" My eyes shifted back towards the Slytherin table, settling on the blonde head of Draco Malfoy as he casually lounged on the chair, lips curved in amusement as he listened to the Parkinson twit prattle about something. "I need to talk to Denali."

"Huh?"

I was already up from the chair and reaching for my bag when I said, "You heard Harry when he called for practice for tomorrow night. Since we planned to work on the Potions assignment at that time, Denali and I need to set a new study date."

"_Date?_"

Her dubious reaction had my eyes rolling. "Really, Hermione, I meant that literally. But-" Hefting the bag over a shoulder, I started walking backwards, grinning wickedly at her. "-thanks for the idea."

I didn't really mean that, ofcourse, just wanted to disturb the girl's peace of mind as payback for playing mum. Judging by the high pitch of her voice as she called out my name, I had been successful. With a smirk, I gave her a mocking wave and turned my back to the Gryffindor table.

Rounding the Ravenclaw table, I kept my eyes averted from the Slytherin side, choosing to keep it fixed on Luna, who sat in one of the seats along the middle of the table. She was talking to Padma Patil, face turned towards the door to the Great Hall, which was why she saw me coming before I reached her and gave me an airy wave.

I waved back much more enthusiastically than needed, the exaggeration not going unnoticed by the blonde Ravenclaw. Her mouth tugged into a knowing smile and I silently cursed.

How had she known that the overly cheery response had been because I was crossing Malfoy at that moment? Was I that transparent? Did _he_ detect the futile attempt at trying to catch his attention? Had he even _noticed_ that I walked by?

Shaking my head to rid it of the unwanted thoughts, I pasted a rather fake smile on my face and walked up to Luna. "Hey, Luna. Padma. You guys done with that Charms assignment yet?"

Just like the Gryffindors and Slytherins, the other two houses were also given a joint assignment, but while ours was Potions, they were working their arse off for Charms. According to Professor Flitwick, there were five ways to crack the Fidelius Charm by magical means, be that legal or illegal, but these ways had never been written down. Their assignment was to find out the five possible methods.

"Are you kidding?" Padma's eyes rounded hysterically, though there was no humor in them, only tension. "I don't think we'll be able to finish it at all by the 10th. It's the hardest assignment ever given in the history of Charms!"

Though it probably required the same amount of research needed for the Potions project, it was much harder to come up with the conclusions while providing necessary data to back it up. Luna, who rarely let academic pressure get to her, had actually complained to me yesterday that the level of difficulty of the Charms assignment was absurd. I was glad not to be in her shoes, or the shoes of any Hufflepuff, for the matter.

But then again, maybe it was the same for Potions. Each and every Gryffindor 6th year could be heard whining about Snape's assignment in the common room at some point of the day. Demelza and Orla still couldn't solve the questions after number five, and I overheard Romilda saying that she'd given up trying to make sense of the project after the first couple of days of research. Maybe the Potions assignment was as hard as the Charms one. It was just that I had Acheron Denali to solve the brunt of the complexity.

"We'll be at the library after finishing dinner." said Luna, giving me a dreamy smile. "Will I see you there?"

"I guess so, yeah." I nodded towards the lone figure sitting at the edge of the Slytherin table. "Denali and I'll be headed there after a while."

"You aren't calling him by his first name?" Padma seemed surprised, cocking a dark eyebrow. "Doesn't that make things awkward?"

"Should it?" I was confused at her enquiry. Though Denali and I spent quite a lot of time together in the past few days- what with being partners in Potions and Defense Against the Darks Arts and the free periods spent researching for the assignment-we weren't on first name basis yet. And it didn't bother either of us one bit.

"Well, yeah. I mean," she looked over at the spot where Denali was sitting and then back at me. "Isn't he your new flavor of the month?"

Silence reigned for a few moments as I stared, dumbstruck, at Padma. Beside her, Luna's eyes gleamed with amusement. The idea of fooling around with Acheron Denali was completely ludicrous, and had momentarily vaporized my ability of speech. For some reason, when I finally spoke, I found myself chuckling.

"_Flavor _of the month? Really, Patil, you're making me sound like a slag here."

"I didn't mean-"

With a shake of my head, I waved a hand in the air. "I know you didn't, Padma. But Denali? Seriously?" I gave her a disbelieving look. "Have you actually _seen_ the guy? He gives off _keep-out_ vibes like the Unspeakables who work at the Department of Mysteries."

"Like that has ever stopped you before."

If any other person had said that, I'd be instantly defensive. Considering the words came out in Luna's languid voice, I knew there was nothing judgmental or mocking about the statement. She was simply stating a fact.

Smirking, I waggled my eyebrows playfully at the blonde. "You know how I am, Lovegood. Once I set my sights on someone, I can't rest until I have them wrapped around my finger."

The blonde's languorous expression didn't change, but I could detect mirth dancing in her aquamarine eyes.

"But as for your initial question," I stepped back and gave Padma a mock-apologetic look. "I'm not interested in Denali like that. Advance apologies if this puts a stop to future rumors released by the 'gossip mill.'"

Padma gave me an abashed grin. It was no secret that she and her twin sister Parvati, along with Lavender Brown and Hannah Abbott from Hufflepuff were the gossip queens of the school. Most of the rumors regarding who was dating/cheating on/shagging whom usually circulated from the mouths of these four girls, and they ran their little club without an ounce of shame. They could be annoying at times, getting on my nerves for being so interested in other people's lives, but I knew for a fact that they were all decent human beings with the unfortunate penchant for gossip.

"I'll see you soon." I said to Luna, who nodded, making the radish earrings which dangled from her ears move from side to side.

Straightening my spine, I turned and strode farther along the aisle between the Slytherin and Ravenclaw tables. I could feel many pairs of eyes on me from the Slytherin side as I walked forward, but paid no heed to them. None of them belonged to Draco Malfoy, who I had long since passed by.

When I reached the chair where Denali sat with his back turned away from the rest of the Hall, right at the end of his House table-though now that I thought of it, it was really the beginning, being closest to the Staff table and all-I stared down at the white-blonde head for a moment.

"Fancy seeing you here."

His head whipped back at the sound of my voice, purple eyes narrowed slightly in surprise. The surprise grew more pronounced when I dropped my bag on the table and flopped down on the chair beside him, facing his profile, my knees almost brushing the side of his right thigh.

Maybe it was my imagination, but for a couple of seconds, I thought the Great Hall grew silent. At least, the Slytherin table sure did. Both Denali and I looked over at the rest of Slytherins in unison; him turning his head while I craned my neck sideways. It seemed that each and every one of them was staring at us, starting from the ones closest to where we sat-though they were still at least a dozen chairs away-to the ones who sat at the far end, near the doors of the Hall.

Dra-_Malfoy_, though, still didn't look at me. Instead, he was staring at Denali, a sneer twisting his handsome features. A part of me wondered if coming over and sitting at the Slytherin table had been a stunt to capture his attention, but I pushed that thought away as soon as it entered my head. No, I came over simply because I needed to talk to Denali, and he happened to be at the Hall, which in itself was strange.

I shifted my gaze back to the white-blonde head. "Denali, what're you doing here?"

When he turned to face me once again, he regarded me warily. "Weasley, what are _you_ doing _here_?"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, it's not the first time someone from one House sat at the table of another." I said exasperatedly, rolling my eyes, even though I knew it was probably the first time a_ Gryffindor_ willingly came to the _Slytherin_ table.

The arch of Denali's almost-white eyebrows told me he thought the same.

"Anyway, what I meant was," I placed an elbow on the table and leaned my head against the palm of my right hand, looking at the boy in front of with open curiosity. "What're you doing here, in the Great Hall?"

His answering look gave me the impression that he thought I needed to visit Madam Pomfrey to get my head checked. "This is generally where people come to eat."

The slight hint of sarcasm in his usually neutral voice made me grin, even as he created mockery out of my words. Denali was so quiet and reticent, I found myself oddly pleased whenever he let his emotions show through his words. Though I was getting rather adept at reading his eyes, it was easier when he projected his feelings like a normal person.

"Uhuh, but you don't usually come here during meal times." I pointed out, drumming the fingers of my left hand on top of my thigh thoughtfully. "Come to think of it, the last time I saw you here was way back in our 4th year, during your Sorting."

I had been beyond surprised when I saw his white-blonde head at the Slytherin table earlier tonight. He would've escaped my notice, considering he sat with his back turned away from the rest of the Hall and I hadn't been looking for him in the first place. If he had been trying to go undetected and blend in with the crowd, he made the wrong choice when he decided to sit closer to the Staff table.

_No one _sat in that area, no matter which House they were in. The person who sat closest to the Staff table in any House always had at least a dozen-preferably more-seats between him or her and the podium. It was like an unwritten rule, and it made sense. Who would want to be in the plain view and within hearing distance of every teacher in the school as they schemed for pranks or cracked raunchy jokes or simply gossiped?

I was about to ask Denali why he sat at this particular place, just five seats away from the Staff table. It wasn't like there weren't any empty seats at the other end, the one near the doors. I got the words, "Why are you sitting-" out of my mouth when he cut me off.

"You noticed."

"Huh?" I gave him a blank look, unable to understand what he was referring to immediately.

He didn't explain the words, just stared at me. His vivid purple gaze bored into mine as something swirled in the depths of those amethyst orbs; something like a cross between surprise and…wonder? What could I have possibly noticed about him which caused those emotions?

And then it dawned on me.

"Oh, you mean-err…" I suddenly felt very uncomfortable under his scrutinizing gaze. "Well, contrary to popular belief, I _am_ quite observant. And you're sitting at a rather conspicuous place."

A tiny quirk appeared at the corner of his mouth, but he remained silent.

"Anyway, it's a good thing you're here right now." I said, sitting straighter and clasping my hands on my lap. "Harry scheduled a practice for tomorrow night, so I can't be there at the library as we planned. I figured we could work our arse off and finish the blasted Potions project tonight."

"That is, of course, if you're free." I added as an afterthought when he still didn't say anything.

A few seconds passed, and then he gave me that singular nod which meant, "Alright." I was getting quite used to it by now.

I stood up as he bent and began to pack his bag, which was plain black and made of leather. As he stuffed books and parchments-which previously laid on the table-inside it at an unhurried pace, I realized there must be an enlargement charm on the bag since it looked too small to hold so many things. Instantly, I was reminded of Hermione, smiling at myself at the thought of how alike Denali and the Head Girl were.

As he straightened, back packed and slung over his shoulder, I picked my own bag from the table and said, "C'mon, I want to be at the library before it gets too crowded."

Denali didn't say anything to that, as expected, merely waited for me to start walking, which I did promptly. I scoffed amusedly when I saw most of the Slytherins turn their heads to watch us as we walked forward. When we neared to where Luna and Padma sat at the Ravenclaw table, I caught the latter's eye. She looked pointedly at Denali and then waggled her brows at me in a suggestive manner. Rolling my eyes at the girl's antics, I stuck my tongue out, hearing her chuckle as I passed her by.

I was about to say something inconsequential to Denali just because I didn't like remaining silent, when I felt the skin at the back of my neck start to prickle. Pace slowing fractionally, I raised a hand to rub the prickling sensation away. Without meaning to, my head turned sideways and I found myself gazing directly into the stormy depths of Draco Malfoy's eyes.

The usual symptoms were there; a rise in the heartbeat, a tingling sensation in the stomach, an unwanted appreciation of his sensual features. But the sudden rush of uncontrollable desire which had swamped me the last few times our eyes had met wasn't there. I didn't know whether to be thankful or disappointed.

I was still attracted to him, unfortunately. The attraction would never go away, especially now that I knew how it felt to be in his arms. Since the kiss, I had been dreading my reaction to his eyes, thinking it would wreak sensual havoc on my body. Now that he finally looked at me, I discovered that the dreadful anticipation had been completely unnecessary. Lust didn't bombard my senses; desire didn't coil my womb into a tight fist. I didn't feel out of breath.

I felt what I always felt whenever I looked at Draco Malfoy since I fell in love with him; irrationally attracted and strangely empty.

There was a relaxed air about him which had been absent in the past couple of days. There were no tensed limbs or a clenched jaw. The tension in his muscles had disappeared, and he didn't look like he wanted to pounce on something. He looked _normal_; as normal as his alluring features and enticing eyes allowed. Draco Malfoy could never be just another face in the crowd.

He was still staring at me, face completely devoid of any emotion and gaze unreadable. No one would be able to tell from his blank stare that he had me backed against a wall last night while he snogged every thought out of my head.

_Git_.

When I hardened my gaze, he merely blinked and looked away, shifting his attention back to Parkinson. My jaw almost fell open in shock.

The infuriating bastard had some _nerve_, dismissing me like that!

I wanted to go up to Malfoy and throttle his pale neck, consequences be damned. I wanted to gouge those titillating eyes out for being so freaking enchanting. I wanted to stomp down the aisle in rage, but somehow, I managed to tamp down all those urges and just walk away with my spine straight and head held high. There was no point in letting Malfoy know how much his brusque attitude aggravated the hell out of me.

Besides, Denali was waiting a few feet away from the door and I didn't want to let my anger show in front of him. Not like he'd ask any questions, for which I was immensely glad, but he was still giving me an odd look, and I didn't like it.

"Well, are you coming or not?" I snapped at Denali as I brushed past him into the Entrance Hall. "We don't have all night."

I almost expected him to snap back at me for being bitchy. It wasn't his fault that a certain Slytherin had the ability to rile me up like no other. But all he did was cock an eyebrow, as if to say, "_You're_ the one who was standing in front of the Slytherin table making an arse out of yourself."

God, I couldn't go on like this. With renewed determination, I made a promise to myself.

I would _not_ acknowledge Draco Malfoy's existence anymore, not even if he clutched at my robes and _begged_ me to look at him.

As the thought settled in, a voice in my head snorted sarcastically. _Yeah right, as if that's ever going to happen._

_[8.20 pm]_

**Hermione**

The shuffling of parchments was starting to grate on my nerves, but I kept my mouth shut and tried to tune it out. There was no point in telling Ron to stop it; he would either get mad at me for being so uptight or simply resume harassing the parchments after a few moments of deferral.

Just when I was successfully able to ignore the sound, Harry started to tap his quill on the table. It was an annoying habit of his which started since our 5th year. I wanted to tell him off for it because it hampered my concentration, but then thought better of it. It wasn't fair of me to reprimand only Harry while turning a blind eye to Ron.

The combination of noises the boys made was beginning to get very bothersome. Honestly, did they not get the point of coming to the Library to study? It was a sanctuary from the ruckus that went on in the common room, and that's why I dragged them here to finish the remaining homework and assignments before Christmas break. But like the boys they were, they completely disregarded the peace and quiet of the place.

At this rate, I'd never be able to finish the Transfiguration essay.

Just when I was contemplating shifting to another part of the Library, Ginny barged into the corner where we sat.

"Oh, thank Merlin you're here." She huffed when she saw me. "Hermione, I need your help."

"Help with what?" I asked, taking in the younger girl's state of disarray.

Her usually straight hair was sticking out at places, as if she'd ran her fingers through her scalp too many times. The Gryffindor tie at her neck was loose and the sleeves of her robe were pulled up above her elbows. If I were to be completely honest, she looked like I tended to when I was poring over a particularly difficult chapter in Arithmancy. The only difference was she still managed to look good, somehow.

"What else?" Ron snorted at his sister form beside me. "She needs you to do her homework, don't you, Gin?"

Irritation flared inside me at the confident tone of his voice. Why did he always assume that whenever someone needed my assistance or advice, it was always regarding schoolwork? It was as if that was the only thing I was useful for.

"For your information, Ronald, I finished all the homework yesterday and even had the time to roll them up with _red ribbons_." Ginny said haughtily, crossing her arms. "Unlike _some_ people, I don't leave things for the eleventh hour."

Both Harry and Ron grumbled while I beamed at the younger girl. Sometimes, I couldn't help but admire her ability to put down people without saying something completely insulting.

"Anyway," She turned to me and uncrossed her arms. "Hermione, what could cause the Draught of Living Death to give off reddish-black steam?"

My eyebrows drew together in confusion at her abrupt question. "What?"

The redhead sighed and sat down at the opposite side of the table beside Harry.

"It's Snape's assignment." She explained, shuddering a bit. "We've been stuck in this question for the past half an hour, _completely_ clueless as to what could possibly be the answer."

"Who's the 'we'?" asked Ron nonchalantly.

"Acheron Denali and I." replied Ginny offhandedly, not even glancing at Ron. "So, we researched and did a cross-referenced with every other Potion ingredient ever listed, but we're still not making any headway."

"Did you try-"

"Denali? The one you stupefied in Defense class and knocked him senseless?"

Both Ginny and I gave Ron an annoyed look for interrupting me, which made Harry chuckle.

"Yes, that one." Harry confirmed when it became obvious that neither Ginny nor I were going to bother doing it.

"Maybe you should try looking up ingredients _not_ generally used in Potions." I suggested to Ginny, wondering why she hadn't thought of that by herself.

"Well, yeah, but-"

"Ginny, why are you hanging out with him?" Ron interrupted his sister this time, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"We're not 'hanging out'." Ginny's voice was laced with irritation as she shifted her attention to the older redhead momentarily. "We're just partners in Potions and have been studying together for the assignment, that's all."

"Anyway," she continued to speak to me as if she hadn't been interrupted seconds ago. "We thought of that, you know, that it might be something which isn't normally put in draughts. But then Denali said its _Potions_, after all, so we have to stay within the boundaries of the subject."

"Did Snape specifically mention that you have to-"

"What if he tried to curse you during these study sessions?" Ron said suddenly, once again interrupting me. "I mean, you _did_ land his arse in the Hospital Wing, and he _is_ a Slytherin, after all. What if he tries to take revenge while you're all unsuspecting and vulnerable?"

"Firstly, will you stop being so paranoid?" Ginny said, the irritation in her voice slowly morphing into anger. "And even if he does try to do something, which I can assure you that he won't, I can take care of myself, Ron."

I looked over at Harry and our eyes met. We could see where this was headed. It had been a while since the remaining two Weasleys in the castle got into a fight and I was glad for that, because when Ron and Ginny fought, _really_ fought, things could get ugly. I just hoped there would be no need for me to put a restraining charm on my boyfriend tonight.

Ron opened his mouth, but Ginny cut in before he could utter a word, turning towards me. "Hermione, you were saying?"

"Look, considering its Snape, you probably have to research outside of general Potions ingredients to get the answer to that question." I said, keeping a watch on Ron from the corner of an eye. "Because as far as I know, magical floras rarely cause substances to turn _black_."

The redheaded girl gave me a blank look before moaning and sagging into her chair. "Merlin, I can't even begin to think the amount of books we'll have to surf through now." she whined, pouting slightly. "It's like Snape specifically kept the hardest question for the last."

"Well, that's Snape for you." commented Harry drily, and I nodded in confirmation, giving Ginny a sympathetic smile.

She sighed, sitting straighter and running a hand through her scarlet hair. "Oh well, I guess I better-"

"Why do you trust this Denali character all of a sudden?"

I winced inwardly as Ginny's nostrils flared. If there was one thing she couldn't stand, it was her older brothers butting their noses into her personal business. If Ron didn't mind his tongue, he would soon have Bat Bogeys attacking his head.

"Ron, I don't see how it's any of your business, who I trust or don't." Ginny said, the anger sparkling in her eyes belying her calm tone.

"How can it not be my business?" Ron asked incredulously, eyes widened in disbelief. "You're my little sister!"

"She's not exactly 'little' anymore, you know." I said gently, curling a hand around Ron's arm.

"Easy for you to say that, Hermione." He snapped at me, shoving my hand off his arm. "She's not your family."

Hurt twisted my gut at his blunt statement. Ginny wasn't family? How could Ron say that? After all the things we went through together in past years, I considered her more than family. Harry and Ginny meant more to me than just friends, and after being with Ron for a whole year, I thought he knew that.

"Don't talk to Hermione like that." said Ginny sharply, standing and glaring down at her brother. "At least she's got some common sense."

"What're you trying to say, huh?" Ron stood up as well, glowering at her indirect jibe, but even though he had six inches on Ginny, she still managed to look down up him.

"Mate, I think you should-" Harry tried to placate Ron, but it seemed that Ginny was hell bent on aggravating him.

"What I'm trying to say, dear brother," she said in a saccharine voice, "is that you're being an overbearing, intrusive git who has no right to poke his huge nose into my personal life."

"Your personal life isn't so _personal_, Ginny." Ron fumed, a dark flush staining his nose in anger. "I don't want to say it, but everyone knows what you are."

"_What I am_?" repeated Ginny, her eyes narrowing into slits. "Enlighten me, then. What is it that people think I am?"

"Ron." I uttered warningly, begging him not to say something he couldn't take back.

"No, Hermione, I want to hear him say it." said Ginny resolutely, crossing her arms. "_What_ do people say about me?"

I took in Ron's fierce expression and flushed ears and I knew he was going to tell her about her reputation. All hell would break loose if he did that. I could see the same realization in Harry's eyes as he looked at the redheads staring daggers at each other. Before either of us could put a Silencing charm on Ron, he spoke.

"You're a-a _slag_."

_[8.50 pm]_

**Blaise**

The dormitory was empty except for a lone blonde who was propped up on his bed, twirling a quill with his fingers as he read something from a heavy, leather bound book.

"Draco!" I exclaimed, walking up to my own bed, which was the one beside his, and flopped down on the pillows. "You should've come with me to the Library."

"Yeah? Couldn't manage to find a simple book by yourself, could you?" He smirked, not taking his eyes off from whatever he was reading. "Figures, really."

"I found the book just fine." I said, rolling my eyes. "Though it was not in the Transfiguration section like you said it would be. And you're welcome, by the way."

Draco just smirked and kept reading, underlining something now and then with his quill.

"You missed quite the show in the Library."

"Oh?" he said absently, looking thoroughly uninterested in what I had to say.

"Yeah." I kept my tone nonchalant, waiting to see how he would react. "Ron Weasley got his head bitten off by a swarm of Bat Bogeys."

"Bet that was quite a sight." He snorted, but still didn't take his eyes off the book on his lap. "I want to send flowers to whoever did that."

"Oh? Should I go and find out what kind of flowers Ginny Weasley prefers?"

His head snapped up at the mention of the female redhead. "What?"

"Oh, _now_ His Highness is interested." I commented sardonically, getting comfortable on the bed.

"Weasley attacked her _own_ brother?" Draco ignored my comment, looking surprised and even a bit impressed, thought I didn't think he was aware of the latter. "Why?"

"He called her a slag." I said, mirroring the amused look on Draco's face. "I was there to see the whole spectacle unfold, actually."

"What, you were eavesdropping?" Draco snickered. "Never thought you'd stoop so low, Blaise."

I rolled my eyes. "_Please_, I was looking for that damned book in the neighboring shelf when I heard those two rowing. Mind you, it wasn't just me. These Weasleys are so fucking loud; the whole library probably heard them."

"I always knew the Weasel King was never the brightest of the bunch, but he really took the cake with this." said Draco, scoffing slightly in disgust. "What kind of a brother calls his sister a slag anyway?"

"He didn't really want to." I explained. "Weasley-the female one-kept goading until he said it out loud. It was rather pathetic."

"Ofcourse it was." Draco shifted his attention back to the leather bound book. "What else would you expect from Weasleys?"

"Oh, I don't know." I pretended to think, tapping a finger on my chin. "Late night snog sessions in deserted corridors?"

"Zabini, how many times do I have to tell you? That topic is _not_ up for discussion."

"_C'mon_, Draco." I almost whined, sitting up pulling the comforter over my crossed legs. "At least tell me whether Weasley is a good kisser."

"Gross, Zabini. I wouldn't touch Weasel King unless it's to smash his nose into pulp, you know that."

I gave him a blank look. "That was lame, Draco."

He simply smirked and flipped a couple of pages of the book.

I tried again. "Is Gryffindor's Princess a good kisser?"

"_Princess_? Since when are princesses born in the Weasley clan?" he drawled. "I think the term you're searching for is _pauper_."

"Well, you kissed that pauper, Draco." I said sarcastically. "And I want to know how it was."

"Why the hell are you so curious?" he snapped at me, finally closing the blasted book and setting it on the bedside table.

"Because I found you pacing in the Lakehouse, afterwards." I said bluntly. "Because when you saw me, all you said was, 'I kissed her', and then went off to run in the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the night even though you know it's fucking dangerous. Because you nearly demolished the Lakehouse last night, becoming wilder than you've ever been during the phase."

Draco had never reacted as aggressively as he had last night. It seemed as if the full moon had completely snatched away his humanity. When I arrived at the Lakehouse at dawn to escort him back to the dungeons, he had scratches and even gashes all over his body. If it hadn't been for his skill at healing charms, he would've needed to visit the Hospital Wing. Moreover, the room had been in shambles. He had broken every piece of furniture and had clawed at the walls like a caged animal.

In a way, he _was_ a caged animal, but I'd rather slit my throat than ever say that out loud to Draco. He'd go berserk with self-disgust and self-loathing, and that was the last thing I needed.

I had a feeling that the reason behind Draco's savage reaction last night was the kiss, but I had no way of confirming my suspicions if he didn't give me any details.

A pregnant silence fell over us. Draco was staring at the edge of the bed with his jaws clenched; giving no indication that he'd speak any soon.

I sighed inwardly, knowing the blonde wouldn't talk about the kiss if I kept prodding. Why did he always get so tightlipped about things which piqued my curiosity?

"Fine, I get it. You don't want to talk about it." I raised my hands up in the air in mock-surrender. "At least tell me why you're ignoring her existence once again. I thought the plan was to lavish her with extravagant attention until she started mooning over you."

When he still didn't say anything, just reclined on the bed and brooded, I said lightly, "Is she _that_ bad at kissing?"

"She's adept enough." He said flatly, his voice devoid of any emotion.

This time, I sighed out loud. From the way Draco was behaving, I guessed I wouldn't be getting any answers tonight.

I pushed the comforter off and stood up, shedding my robe and undoing the tie. I was rather tired and seeing as Draco was being incommunicative, there was no point in staying up. Just as I went over to my trunk to pull out my pajamas, I heard him speak.

"The kiss was…intense."

I was holding the roof of my trunk up when he said that. At the suddenness of his words, my grip slipped and the heavy metal almost slammed down on my fingers before I managed to hold it still. Thank Merlin for Quidditch reflexes. Outwardly, I remained calm and quiet, standing still next to my trunk. In my head though, I was pumping my fist in triumph. Draco was finally talking!

"I never felt so aroused just from a _kiss_." he said, staring off into space, an absent quality in his voice which made me wonder if he was simply talking to himself. "It consumed every thought in my head until all I wanted to do was fuck her."

"Of course, it was the effect of the moon." he added on an afterthought, the faraway tone of his voice disappearing as if he just realized what he had just said. "I wouldn't want a Weasley in _that_ way otherwise."

"Honestly, I don't know why you're always complaining." I rolled my eyes, grabbing my pajamas and standing up. "Weasley is pretty easy on the eyes."

Draco scoffed, but I went on. "I mean, if it wasn't for the fact that she was hopelessly besotted by you last year, I would've gotten into her knickers."

"You _did_ try." He smirked. "But she turned you down."

"Besides," he continued to speak, getting up from his bed, "as long as the girl has tits, which is a natural occurrence, you'll find her attractive. So really, Blaise, your opinion is invalid."

"Hey, what can I say?" I grinned, not at all bothered by his friendly insult. "I just love girls."

And I also loved irritating my best friend, so I said cheekily, "You're just jealous that I'm getting loads of hot, sweaty sex while you've had to stay celibate for the past six months."

"I didn't _have_ to." Draco growled, giving me a dirty look as he disrobed. "I _chose_ to."

"Yes, yes, you were too busy trying to adjust to being a werewolf and the bad fortune of having Ginny Weasley for a mate." I rolled my eyes and unbuttoned the school shirt, shrugging it off. "I don't see why that should put a blocker on your sexual activities. Just because no other girl except Weasley would do on the night of the full moon, doesn't mean you can't have your pick for the rest of the month."

It wasn't like Draco had any plans of staying faithful to Weasley once he seduced her and earned her trust. Sure, he couldn't publicly date anyone else since he planned on keeping her tied to him, but there were plenty of girls who would willingly fall into bed with him without any commitment or expectations. Most of them would even keep their mouths shut about his infidelity in the hopes of a repeat performance. So I honestly didn't get why he had to go without carnal pleasures on the days he was _normal_.

"You know what? I think you should go and have a _chat_ with Daphne." I suggested, waggling my eyebrows at Draco suggestively. "She's your favorite girl, isn't she? Last I heard, she's single, but even if she wasn't, she's always happy to see to your needs."

All the pent up frustration over becoming a werewolf and then finding out the whole mate business was getting to him. Even when the full moon was weeks away, I could tell that Draco was always tensed. He might pretend to be all calm and relaxed, but there was a storm brewing inside him. It showed in how easily he got riled up by little things.

Draco needed to release all that latent tension, and what better way to do it than partake in a night of sinful fucking with a girl as hot as Daphne Greengrass? She would take care of the case of blue balls he was having and also help him keep him mind off all the things which were troubling him, even if it was a temporary distraction.

The blonde had a thoughtful expression on his face, as if he was contemplating something. Suddenly, a glint entered his eyes, one I hadn't seen in a while. He gave me a diabolical grin as he put his robe back on and reached for his shoes from underneath the bed. "Why couldn't I have thought of that before? Could've saved me from all these months of sexual deprivation."

I laughed, looking at my best friend bemusedly as he practically ran from the dorm. "You're welcome!" I shouted sarcastically, shaking my head. He brushed past Theo and Greg as they entered the living quarters, not even bothering to acknowledge their hellos.

"What's gotten him in such a rush?" Theo asked, turning his head to look at Draco's fast retreating back.

"He's off to find Daphne." I said as an explanation, flopping down on my bed and reaching for the book Draco left on the bedside table. Though the cover read 'The Complete Guide to Successful Healing Charms', I knew the contents of the book dealt with a completely different topic.

Theo looked confused for a few moments before realization dawned on him and he smirked. Greg, on the other hand, was still clueless.

"But Daphne already went up to her dorm." he said.

Theo snorted. "Like that would stop Malfoy from reaching her."

I chuckled, knowing full well that all Draco needed to do was utter the right spell and the staircase to the girls' dormitory would allow him to pass through. We discovered the spell in our 4th year while messing around with enchantments. Draco wrongly pronounced the spell which warded rooms from intruders, inadvertently casting the counter spell to the one preventing us from going up to the girl's dorm. After that, it was just a matter of finding out the actual enchantment put on the staircase and remembering the counter spell.

To this date, we only told Theo about our discovery, but only because he was dating Millicent Bulstrode in our 4th year and used to whine about how he couldn't spend enough time with her at night because she was too skittish to roam around the castle past curfew. After a while, Draco got tired of hearing about his sexual frustrations and simply told him about the counter spell, making him take an oath that he wouldn't let it become public knowledge.

In the beginning, the girls used to bug us constantly to know how we managed to get into their private quarters. Some of them wanted to bring their boyfriends over while some were simply curious. Being Slytherins, none of them were the least uncomfortable at the thought of us having access to their dormitory, but they wanted to know how we did it nonetheless. When we refused to budge, adamant in our secrecy, they gave up with a huff and simply enjoyed our visits.

"But why does Draco need to see Daphne so badly?"

I could hear Theo laugh from the partially closed door of the bathroom and even though I couldn't see his face, I knew what he was thinking.

"Oh Greg, if you honestly need to ask that, you don't know Draco Malfoy at all."

* * *

><p><strong>From DamnDraco<strong>: I know there are tons of things still unexplained regarding the nature of Draco's 'furry little problem'. The reason I'm not revealing things all at once is because this fic is written from the 1st person POV. The past has already happened and unless the narrator starts to reminisce, I don't see how I can just drag an explanation into the passage. But as the story progresses, you'll get to know how Draco ended up being bitten by a werewolf. Also, the whole concept of_ mating_ will also be explained in due time, so dont get your knickers in a twist!

Though this chapter got published quite earlier than I expected, I can confidently say that chapter 8 won't come out this soon. There wont be any updates before November. I'm sorry, but I cant procrastinate any longer. My exams are knocking at the door and I need to spend every moment of the day studying. But I'm not going to abandon this fic or anything, so dont get mad!

Thanks alot for reading this fic. And do _review_ and tell me what you thought of the kiss!


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